Process of preparing an isopropanol and diisopropyl ether oxgenate motor fuel additive

ABSTRACT

Propene is reacted with water in a multi-stage, fluidized bed catalytic reactor to produce an oxygenate motor fuel additive containing a major proportion of isopropanol, a minor proportion of diisopropyl ether, and some water. The molar ratio of water to propene introduced into each catalytic stage of the multi-stage reactor is maintained within a range of from about 2:1 to about 6:1. The temperature of the reactants in each of the catalytic stages is maintained within a range of from about 250° F. to about 320° F. and the pressure at a level of from about 1200 psia to about 3600 psia. The temperature in each catalytic stage increases from the initial catalytic stage to the final catalytic stage with the temperature increase being limited to a value within a range of from about 8° F. to about 1° F. The pressure of the final stage of the catalytic section is controlled so that the reaction product containing the organic constituents including oxygenates provides a concentrated, less dense liquid stream which may be easily separated from the aqueous liquid phase in the final stage. The liquid phase is recycled to the catalytic zone while underacted propene is separated from the oxygenates. Some water is purposefully retained in the oxygenate to take advantage of the solubilization of the IPA component. Seasonal gasoline component specifications may be met by simply controlling the amount of water allowed to remain in the oxygenate product.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of Application Ser. No. 07/877,642, filed May 1, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,129.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an oxygenate additive for motor fuels and particularly to an additive containing a major proportion of isopropanol (IPA), some diisopropyl ether (IPE), and some water.

Recently enacted governmental regulations require that motor fuels such as gasoline be formulated in a manner to avoid production of certain noxious waste byproducts discharged to the atmosphere when the fuel is burned in an engine. These regulations are directed toward the reduction of olefins and aromatics, and in order to implement such goal, require the presence of oxygen. In the United States, motor fuels for certain designated geographical areas must contain 2 weight percent (wt %) oxygen by Jan. 1, 1995 and 2.7 wt % oxygen by Nov. 1, 1992 in particular areas. Addition of oxygenates to gasoline is intended to reduce hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide exhaust emissions to a level which meets presently mandated emission standards.

2. Description of the Prior Art

a. Motor Fuel Oxygenate Additives

Alcohols have long been added to motor fuels such as gasoline to increase the octane rating of the fuel. Ethanol and methanol have been the principal alcohols employed for this purpose. Methanol has now been excluded as an additive for gasoline because of the unacceptable emission products which result when burned in the presence of a hydrocarbon fuel.

Ethanol on the other hand has properties which limit its use as a motor fuel additive, particularly if employed at levels which are effective in reducing unburned hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide combustion byproducts. Ethanol, which has been dehydrated to an extent that the cost of the product is low enough to permit economic use of the alcohol as a gasoline additive, still contains an amount of water that causes the alcohol to be immiscible in the fuel. As a result, the ethanol additive tends to separate from the hydrocarbon fuel under certain ambient temperature conditions. Furthermore, gasoline while stored can accumulate additional quantities of water from the atmosphere. This exposure of the gasoline to additional water, can trigger phase separation of the alcohol from the fuel.

A co-solvent is required to prevent phase separation of the C₁ and C₂ alcohols from the fuel. Tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) is an example of a co-solvent that has been used with C₁ and C₂ additives for motor fuels.

Present oxygenates used as motor fuel additives include methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), and tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME). These products proved to be expensive and required importation of methanol for production of MTBE and TAME, or ethanol for preparation of ETBE. Methanol or ethanol are not products which are conventionally produced in refinery processes, thus increasing the cost of the additive.

Isopropanol (IPA) has been proposed as an oxygenate additive for fuels, but available methods for preparation of IPA have limited its usefulness from a cost standpoint. Limited amounts of diisopropyl ether (IPE) removed from IPA during purification of the alcohol have found their way into motor fuels in Europe. IPE and IPA additions to the motor fuel though, were for deicing and dewatering purposes. In view of the fact that the IPA and/or IPE additives were incorporated for their dewatering properties, they did not include a proportion of water.

b. Early IPA Manufacturing Processes

IPA was first produced on a large scale in the United States commencing about 1920. The process involved hydration of propene with mineral acid. In the first stage, sulfuric acid half esters were produced. During the second stage, hydrolysis took place on a continuous basis. Co-product aqueous sulfuric acid was reconcentrated by submerged combustion. High boiling organic compounds present in the diluted acid were oxidized by addition of nitric acid. Small amounts of sulfuric acid were also purged.

This two-step process had several disadvantages. The more important ones were: the conditions of the reaction were corrosive by virtue of the fact that 85% sulfuric acid was necessary for the propene esterification reaction; it was necessary to dilute the acid reaction medium to promote hydrolysis and to facilitate separation of the acid from the product alcohol after the hydrolysis reaction; acid reconcentration was required before recycle to the esterification step of the process; and there was a frequent need to neutralize the product alcohol. The cost of acid reconcentration was a major factor in the economics of the process.

c. Direct Hydration of Olefins Over a Solid Catalyst

At least as early as the 1960's, direct hydration of olefins in the vapor phase over stable catalysts was proposed as a replacement for the long practiced, two-step, sulfuric acid hydration process. Catalysts that were suggested included silicophosphoric acid, phosphoric acid on Celite, and tungstic acid on aluminum. The Veba Chemie process using a fixed bed catalyst of supported phosphoric acid gained considerable commercial usage. These vapor phase, direct hydration processes overcame certain of the major difficulties of the previously practiced two-step acid esterification-hydrolysis process. However, these processes suffered from the disadvantage of low per-pass conversion to alcohol as a result of thermodynamic, vapor phase equilibrium conditions. The low perpass conversion necessitated relatively high recycle rates to obtain the same over-all conversion obtained from the older two-step sulfuric acid dehydration process.

During the 60's, studies were also conducted to determine the usefulness of sulfonated polystyrene-divinylbenzene resins as catalysts for the selective hydration of branched olefins to form alcohols. Among the strongly acidic, ion-exchange resins of the sulfonic acid type tested, were Amberlyst 15 and IR-120, at that time available from Rohm and Haas Co. It was determined that these resins did have the ability to catalyze the hydration of olefins to alcohols, but they first had to be treated with a strong acid before use and then washed with deionized water until residual acid could no longer be found.

d. Deutsche-Texaco A.G. Process

In the early 1970's, Deutsche-Texaco A.G. (DT) reported that it had built an IPA plant using ion exchange resins based on styrene, cross-linked with varying amounts of divinylbenzene. In the DT process, a mixture of liquid water and gaseous propene was fed to the top of a reactor having four separate catalyst beds. The water and gaseous reactant phases passed through the reactors in the same direction.

Quench water was introduced into each of the reactor beds for temperature control. Reaction temperatures of from about 270° F. to about 302° F. and pressures of from about 900 psia to about 1500 psia were maintained in the reactor beds. As the catalyst aged, the temperature of each bed was allowed to increase. Optimal molar ratios of water to propene were found to be from 12.5-15.0:1. It has been reported that polymers of propene formed when the amount of water used in the reaction mixture was below the optimal values. A conversion of up to 75% of the propene feed per-pass was said to have been realized.

The crude alcohol bottoms from the reactor unit were neutralized by addition of sodium hydroxide. IPE was stripped from the IPA-water mixture in a first distillation section. The pre-purification column bottoms from the first still were fed to another column where an azeotropic alcohol mixture was taken overhead. Final drying of the azeotrope alcohol was carried out utilizing benzene.

e. Tokyuama Soda IPA Process

In the latter part of the 1970's, Tokyuama Soda (TS) announced an IPA process carried out as a liquid-phase hydration of an olefin in the presence of a dissolved tungsten catalyst. Pulverized zirconium tungstate in an aqueous solution (polytungsten anion) was reported to be the most stable catalytic agent.

In the TS process, propene, water and recycled catalyst were preheated and pressurized before being introduced into the bottom of a reaction chamber. Reactor effluent from the upper end thereof was subjected to pressure reduction and separation of dissolved propene along with heat recovery. Unconverted propene separated by flash liberation was condensed for recycle to the reactor after purification.

An aqueous solution removed from the separator was sent to a purification section where the catalyst was removed and an azeotropic distillate containing 88% wt IPA with the remainder as water. The bottom-out water containing catalyst was recycled to the reaction section. A light-end column was provided to strip off low boiling constituents such as IPE and acetone, and the IPA was dried by benzene azeotropic distillation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

a. Process

The present method is useful for preparing a motor fuel oxygenate additive which contains IPA, some IPE, and some water. A feed stock principally containing propene, and preferably a fresh cut refinery propene-propane feed stock plus a secondary supply principally made up of propene, along with a feed stream of water are directed to a catalytic reactor zone made up of a plurality of catalytic stages in serial flow relationship and each provided with a quantity of a suitable solid particulate acidic catalyst capable of hydrating olefins. The propene feed stock and water are directed to the bottom inlet of the initial catalytic stage, and to the lower part of each of a plurality of catalytic stages associated therewith for exothermic reaction of the propene feed stock with the water.

The molar ratio of the water to the propene feed stock delivered to each catalytic stage is maintained within the range of from about 2:1 to about 6:1, in one embodiment of the invention, and from about 2:1 to about 4:1 in a second, preferred embodiment of the process. The feed stock and water after introduction into a respective catalytic stage and the resultant IPA and IPE formed therefrom, flow in serial order through corresponding catalytic stages before exiting through the outlet of the final stage.

Reactant water which also functions as a temperature control medium is directed into each of the catalytic stages in order to maintain the temperature of the reactants in each stage within a range of from about 250° F. to about 300° F. where the feed to the reactor stages is principally propene (e.g. above about 90%), and from about 260° F. to about 320° F. where refinery cut propene-propane feed stock is employed for direct introduction into the reactors, containing from about 60 to 86 mol percent of propene. The process is carried out under conditions such that the pressure in each of the catalytic stages is regulated at a level of from about 1200 psia to about 3000 psia when the temperature range is limited to 250° F. to 300° F. because of the introduction of a high level propene feed, and from about 1800 psia to about 3600 psia when the feed stock introduced into the reactors contains from 60 to about 86 mol percent of propene. Conversions of the overall propene entering the catalytic zone at levels above 85% are practical with refinery cut propene-propane feeds directly entering the reactor.

An important object of the invention is to simplify the process of preparing an oxygenate principally made up of IPA, along with some IPE and some water, to an extent that when the capital expense of the plant equipment, and the cost of raw materials and utilities is factored into the equation, the alcohol, ether and water blend thus produced for introduction into motor fuels is a commercially viable product not only from a functional standpoint, but from a cost point of view as well. Simplification of the process is based on the fact that only three basic units are required to produce a satisfactory motor fuel oxygenate. These three basic units include a hydrocarbon purification section, a reactor section, and a section for removal of water, purification of the unreacted hydrocarbons, and return of recycle water and unreacted hydrocarbons back to the reactor section. Several of the usual product distillation equipment and concomitant costs associated with operation thereof have been totally eliminated. In addition, significant savings are achieved by limitation of the amount of catalyst makeup required.

The preferred process involves utilization of a series of at least six catalytic stages arranged in serial flow relationship with about 35% to about 45% of the available supply of fresh propene-propane hydrocarbon feed stock being directed into the initial or first stage along with from about 2.1 to about 2.5 moles of water, and with the remainder of the fresh propene-propane feed stock together with recovered purified propene feed being fed into the remainder of the reactor stags in a distributed manner, along with adequate water to supply the amount thereof consumed in the conversion of propene to isopropyl alcohol and diisopropyl ether. In addition, the outlet stage pressures of the catalytic reactor sections is maintained within the range of from about 1800 psia to about 3600 psia, and the stage outlet temperatures maintained at a level within the range of from about 285° F. to about 310° F.

It has been discovered that in contrast with conventional practices wherein the refinery feed stock containing propane and propene is subjected to a splitting operation to increase the proportion of the propene in the feed stock prior to catalytic hydration of the feed stock, the present process permits utilization of fresh cut refinery feed stock without increasing the ratio of the propene to propane. As a consequence, fresh cut propene-propane refinery feed stock of a composition typically available in refineries, may be introduced directly into the catalytic hydration stages without initial concentration of the propene. Fresh cut propene-propane feed stock useful in the present process normally contains more than about 50% propene, and usually from about 60 to about 82 mol percent of propene, often in the range of from about 64 to 78 mol percent, and typically about 76 mol percent.

Utilization of a feed stock having a higher concentration of propane in the propene-propane feed stock increases the rate as well as the selectivity or the desired hydration of propene introduced into the catalytic stages, either as isopropanol or diisopropyl ether.

In the production of gasoline, about 1/3 of the feed stream derived from the crude infeed goes to the catalytic cracker. Greater than 2/3 of the infeed is converted in the FCC unit to components useful in manufacture of gasoline. For every one hundred barrels of feed to the cracker, about 7.3 barrels of propene are produced. It is conventional to direct propene and butene produced in the cracker to an alkylation unit which converts the C₃ and C₄ olefins to C₃ alkylates. For example, 1.0 barrel of propene plus 1.276 barrels of isobutane will produce 1.738 barrels of C₃ alkylate. As a consequence, only 0.76 barrel of alkylate are prepared from each barrel of propene. It is the alkylate that is a part of the final gasoline blend.

In the present process, each barrel of propene can be converted into 0.93 barrel of IPA plus IPE which can be directly incorporated into the motor fuel. The difference, (0.93 bbl.-0.764 bbl.=0.166 bbl.) is excess gasoline blending agent which is obtained from the water reacted with the propene. In view of the cost difference between water and hydrocarbons, the conversion of water to an alcohol that may be incorporated in a hydrocarbon fuel, offers significant profit potential for a refinery over existing methods. This is evident from the fact that water in purified form can be produced or purchased at a cost of roughly one cent per gallon whereas the present wholesale value of gasoline is at least about 60 cents per gallon.

b. IPA/IPE Motor Fuel Additive

The blending Reid vapor pressure (RVP) for IPE ranges from 4 to 5 psia as compared to a range of 8 to 9 psia for MTBE and 9 to 10 psia for IPA. Octane numbers measured for IPE range from about 97 to 104 for the motor method (similar to MTBE) and 107 to 113 when measured by the research method. A motor octane number of about 95 has been reported for IPA, 97 for ethanol, and 94 for tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA). In like manner, a research octane number of 117 has been reported for IPA, 121 for ethanol, 106 for TBA, 115 for MTBE and 108 for TAME.

The mass exhaust emissions from IPE gasoline blends using identical refinery gasoline components for a given oxygen content are reported to have been found similar to those of MTBE and TAME blends. It is of note in this respect that prior investigators have found that propionaldehyde does not appear in the exhaust of gasoline motor fuels containing IPE. This is to be contrasted with the fact that formaldehyde appears in the exhaust of gasoline motor fuels containing methanol and acetaldehyde at a significantly lower concentration than such constituents have been found in the exhaust of gasoline motor fuels containing ethanol.

IPE has been found to be as compatible as MTBE in tests for demulsifier compatibility, multi-metal corrosion protection, fuel filterability and anti-oxidant performance when compared at 2.0 weight percent and 2.7 weight percent oxygen content with a commercially available additive package. Overall driveability indexes were found to be similar using IPA and MTBE gasoline motor fuels having the sam hydrocarbon base. Trained rater driveability test showed IPE to provide similar or better performance than other ethers, including MTBE at a 3.5 weight percent fuel oxygen level. IPE has been found to be consistently similar to MTBE in terms of distillation effects, cold starts, and warm up driveability. Fleet tests with IPE blends generated positive consumer response and have not produced any vehicle durability problems.

Toxicology tests to date indicate that IPE is not mutagenic, cytotoxic, or clastogenic and are unlikely to be carcinogenic.

Although IPA has not has yet been thoroughly investigated as a motor fuel additive, it was investigated and found to be an excellent aviation gasoline components during the Second World War. IPA performance is at least equivalent to or better than ethanol for the same oxygen content. Unlike ethanol, IPA has no water compatibility problems and in fact is an excellent co-solvent. In this manner, the problems encountered by addition of methanol or ethanol to motor fuels can be alleviated. Similarly, IPA can be used for higher oxygen content concentrations without the danger of not being sufficiently soluble when blended with any of the conventional refinery hydrocarbon fuel components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1A, 1B and 1C are schematic diagrams of apparatus for preparing an oxygenate from a C₃ olefin feed stream in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention wherein the oxygenate contains isopropanol, diisopropyl ether and some water, that may be used as a motor fuel additive; and

FIGS. 2A, 2B1, 2B2 and 2C are schematic diagrams of apparatus for preparing an oxygenate motor fuel additive from a refinery fresh cut propene-propane feed stock in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Apparatus broadly designated 10 in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C permits economical production of an oxygenate for addition to motor fuels, and is made up of only three basic units. Those units include hydrocarbon splitting section 12 (FIG. 1A), reactor section 14 (FIG. 1B), and oxygenate separation section 16 (FIG. 1C) for separating the oxygenate product from unreacted hydrocarbons and water.

Referring initially to FIG. 1A, fresh hydrocarbon feed is introduced into apparatus 10 through line 18. The feed typically is made up prinicipally of propene, varying quantities of propane, and incidental amounts of hydrocarbons including ethylene, ethane, isobutane, isobutene, 1 butene and other C₄ components. Fresh feed line 18 is connected to a line 20 which is joined to the infeed of one side of a heat exchanger 22. The second side of heat exchanger 22 is connected by line 24 to the inlet of one side of a second heat exchanger 26. The other side of that heat exchanger is joined by line 28 to a propene splitter tower 30. Line 28 is preferably connected to tower 30 intermediate to the upper and lower ends thereof at a point 30a as indicated schematically in FIG. 1A. The propane bottoms from tower 30 are removed therefrom via line 32 which is connected to heat exchanger 22 to bring the bottoms into heat exchange relationship with the fresh propene feed with tower 30. Propane byproduct is directed to a point of use by a line 34 which is connected to an outlet of the heat exchanger 22.

The propene feed overhead from tower 30 exits therefrom via line 36 which is joined to the suction side of a compressor 38. The pressure side of compressor 38 is connected by line 40 to a heat exchange section 42 within tower 30 adjacent the lower portion thereof. The outlet of heat exchange section 42 is connected to a separator 44 by a line 46. The liquid bottoms from separator 44 are returned to the upper part of tower 30 by a line 48 joined to the lower end of separator vessel 44. The propene overhead from separator 44 leaves that vessel via line 50 which is connected to the suction side of make compressor 52.

The pressurized gaseous output from compressor 52 is directed into hydrocarbon feed surge drum 54 by a line 56 which passes through a cooling water heat exchanger 58. A liquid return line 60 extends through heat exchanger 26 and is joined to separator 44. The propene feed from surge drum 54 is connected to pump 62 by a line 64 while the output from the pump 62 is directed via line 66 to a first input side of a heat exchanger 68 (FIG. 1B). The output of the first side of heat exchanger 68 has a line 70 joined thereto.

Liquid product within splitter tower 30 is removed form the lower end of the tower by a line 72 having a pump 74 interposed therein. A line 76 for return of liquid to tower 30 is connected to the lowermost part of tower 30. Lines 72 and 76, designated as R1 and R2 respectively in FIG. 1A, are joined to lines R1 and R2 of heat exchanger 226 of FIG. 1C which will be described in detail hereafter.

The primary component of reactor section 1B is an upright catalytic reactor vessel broadly designated 78 which in a preferred embodiment has six catalytic reaction stages designated as, first reaction stage 80, second reaction stage 82, third reaction stage 84, fourth reaction stage 86, fifth reaction stage 88 and sixth reaction stage 90.

The propene feed line 70 from heat exchanger 68 is connected to the lower end of vessel 78 for introduction into the catalytic reaction stage 80. A static mixer 92 is interposed in line 70 ahead of the vessel inlet. Referring to FIG. 1A, makeup water for the hydration process is supplied through line 94 leading to an ion exchange bed 96 serving to remove impurities and minerals from the water. The outflow from bed 96 is connected to a pump 98 by a line 100. The output line 102 of pump 98 is connected to a main manifold propene feed line 104 which extends through heat exchanger 106 shown schematically adjacent at the upper part of reactor vessel 78, and is connected to the lower end of sixth catalytic stage 90 of reactor vessel 78. A line 108 connected to makeup water line 102 is joined to propene feed line 66 by a line 108.

A secondary manifold feed line 110 extends through the heat exchanger 112 and is joined to the lower part of second catalytic stage 82. In like manner, a secondary manifold feed line 114 extends through heat exchanger 116 and is connected to the lower part of third catalytic stage 84. Secondary manifold feed line 118 extends through heat exchanger 120 and is coupled to the lower part of fourth catalytic reactor stage 86. Finally, a secondary manifold feed line 122 extend through heat exchanger 124 and leads to the lower end of fifth catalytic reactor stage 86. Water supply lines 126 between line 102 and line 110, line 128 between line 102 and line 114, line 130 between line 102 and line 118 and line 132 between line 102 and line 122, allow water to be introduced into the propene feed directed into the second through fifth catalytic stages of reactor vessel 78.

The overhead from reactor vessel 78 is removed therefrom via a line 134 connected at the top of vessel 78 and extending through heat exchanger 68 in heat exchange relationship with the propene feed. A bypass line 135 having a control valve 137 therein joins two adjacent sections of line 134 on the opposite sides of the serially arranged heat exchanger 68, 112, 116, 120, 124, and 106. Line 134 also passes through an air cooled heat exchanger 136 and is connected to the light heavy liquid separator 138 (FIG. 1C). It is to be observed from FIG. 1C that heat exchanger 136 brings cooling air into heat exchange relationship with the stream flowing therethrough.

Line 140 extending through heat exchanger 112, line 142 extending through heat exchanger 116, line 144 extending through heat exchanger 120, line 146 extending through heat exchanger 124 and line 148 extending through heat exchanger 106 permit the output stream flowing through line 134 from the upper end of vessel 78 to be brought into heat exchange relationship with propene and water feed lines 110, 114, 118, 124 and 104 respectively, with the return of such lines being to line 134 after the stream flowing therethrough has passed through heat exchanger 68.

Each of the catalytic stages 80-90 respectively function as fluidized beds. The catalyst in each stage is a solid particulate material capable of hydrating olefins. Especially useful are sulfonated polystyrene-divinyl benzene resins such as Rohm & Haas IR-120 or Dow Chemical Dowex 50.

Other useful catalysts include equivalent strongly acidic ion exchange resins fluorosulfonic acid impregnated resins, zeolites, phosphoric acid impregnated pillared clays, and tungsten compounds on suitable porous supports. Exemplary catalysts that may be used are diclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,284 (tungsten containing catalysts), U.S. Pat. No. 2,658,924 (precipitated silicon dioxide on porous alumina), U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,041 (catalytic metal modified resins), U.S. Pat No. 2,876,266 (phosphoric acid on porous support), U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,970 (sulfide Group VI metal and Group VIII metal on suitable carrier material), U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,777 (solid acid catalysts consisting of zirconium, tungsten and oxygen in specified proportions), U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,912 (hexavalent molybdenum compounds), U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,107 (crystalline aluminisilicate zeolite catalyst with silica to alumina ratios of at least 12, e.g., HZSM-5 type catalysts), and European Patent No. A 0210793 (medium porosity crystalline zeolite with a unidimensional channel system).

Distributors 150, 152, 154, 156, 158 and 160 within reactor vessel 78 serve to support the particulate catalyst within each of the stages 80-90 inclusive. Suitable stage distributors in this respect include a Johnson-type screen or a perforated plate with openings small enough to retain the catalyst particles when flow is interrupted. A plate with 7/64 in. diameter perforations is satisfactory in this respect. The top of the fluidized catalytic bed of first reactor stage 80 is schematically depicted by the numeral 162. The upper level of the fluidized catalytic beds of the second through sixth catalytic reactor stages 82-90 within vessel 78 are likewise indicated schematically in FIG. 1B by lines 164 through 172 respectively. It is to be understood though, that the column defined by catalytic stages 80-90 is completely filled with liquid plus catalytic particles.

Upwardly directed arrows at the lower extremities of the second through sixth reactor stages 82-90 schematically represent delivery of propene feed and water to the lower part of these stages for upward flow through a screen immediately thereabove. It is likewise to be understood that propene feed and water introduced into the lower part of stage 80 via line 70 flows upwardly through the screen 150.

A portion of the solid catalyst within first catalytic stage 80 may be removed therefrom via a catalyst transfer line 174 having a normally closed, selectively openable valve 176 therein. In a similar manner, a portion of the catalyst from the second catalytic stage 82 may be removed therefrom and redirected into the first catalytic stage 80 through a transfer line 178 having a selectively manipulable valve 10. Transfer line 181 having a selectively openable valve 182 therein between catalytic stages 84 and 82, transfer line 184 having a valve 186 therein, transfer line 188 having a valve 190 therein, and transfer line 192 having a valve 194 therein permit catalyst to be removed from the second catalytic stage 82 and returned to the first catalytic stage 80, removed from the third catalytic stage 84 and redirected into the second catalytic stage 82, removed from the fourth catalytic stage 86 and returned to the third catalytic stage 84, removed from the fifth catalytic stage 88 and returned to the fourth catalytic stage 86, and removed from the sixth catalytic stage 90 and returned to the fifth catalytic stage 88 respectively. Line 191 extending through the top of reactor 78 and which is provided with a selectively openable valve 193, projects into stage 90 and permits fresh makeup catalyst to be introduced into the sixth stage 90.

The heavy liquid/light liquid interface at the top of vessel 78 is indicated schematically by the scalloped line 196. Aqueous heavy liquid is removed from below level 196 at the upper end of vessel 78 by a line 198 having a pump 200 therein, and which connects to line 70 upstream of static mixer 92.

Viewing FIG. 1C, the stream introduced into separator vessel 138 is separated into fractions with the overhead therefrom passing through line 202 to the light-heavy liquid separator 204. Before entering vessel 204, the stream flowing through line 202 passes in heat exchange relationship with cooling water supplied to heat exchanger 207.

The underflow from separator vessel 138 is directed to line 108 via line 208 having a pump 210 therein. The bottoms from separator vessel 204 are directed to line 208 by a line 212 having a pump 214 interposed therein.

The overhead from separator vessel 204 is directed via line 216 to depropanizer distillation vessel 218 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof. It can be seen from FIG. 1C that the stream flowing in line 216 first passes through turbine 220, next through one side of a plate heat exchanger 222, and then through one side of a tube and shell heat exchanger 224. Steam is introduced into the lower end of still 218 by steam supply and return line 228.

The bottoms from still 218, constituting oxygenate product, are removed the vessel via line 230 which extends through heat exchanger 224 in heat exchange relationship with the flow through 216, and through the heat exchanger 222. The composition of oxygenate product-out stream S-30 is set forth in the box score of Table I.

The overhead from depropanizer 218 is directed via line 234 to a reflux drum broadly designated 232. The stream flowing through line 234 is first brought into heat exchange relationship with cooling water flowing through heat exchanger 236. As is evident from FIG. 1C, reflux drum 232 has two sections, 238 and 240 respectively. The line 234 is connected to section 238 of drum 232, with a part of the outflow from section 238 being returned to the upper end of depropanizer 218 by line 242 provided with a pump 244 therein. The underflow from section 238 of drum 232 is removed therefrom via line 246 having a pump 248 therein which returns the collected liquid to separator 204 intermediate internal separators within the vessel. Line 246 connects to separator drum 204 intermediate the ends thereof between upper and lower separator sections shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1C. A portion of the outflow from section 240 of drum 232 is introduced into a central part of deethanizer distillation vessel 250 by a line 251 having a pump 252 therein. The underflow from section 240 of drum 232 is directed into line 246 by line 256.

The bottom outflow from deethanizer 250 is returned to feed line 20 by a line 258 which first passes in heat exchange relationship with cooling water directed through heat exchanger 260. The overhead from deethanizer 250 is directed to vapor-liquid reflux drum 262 through a line 264 connected to the top of vessel 250. The stream flowing through line 264 first passes through a heat exchanger 266 which brings the product stream into heat exchange relationship with liquid R1 from C₃ splitter 30. Ethane and ethylene by-products are removed from drum 262 via line 268. A portion of the outflow from reflux drum 262 is returned to the upper end of deethanizer 250 by a line 270 having a pump 271 therein while the bottoms from drum 262 are directed into section 240 of reflux drum 232 through a line 272. The stream flowing through line 272 first passes through heat exchanger 274 before flowing into section 240. Heat exchangers 236 and 274 receive cooling water which is in series relationship as indicated by the schematic representation of FIG. 1C. The overhead from reflux drum 238 is introduced into line 272 through

a line 276 which is connected to line 272 upstream of heat exchanger 274.

Bypass line 278 connected to line 230 ahead of heat exchanger 234 serves to divert a portion of the bottoms from depropanizer 218 through deethanizer 250 and to then return such stream to line 230 intermediate heat exchangers 222 and 224.

It is to be observed from the right-hand portion of FIG. 1C that the heat exchange medium passed through heat exchanger 266 upstream of vapor-liquid reflux drum 262 is derived lines 72 and 76 joined to splitter 30.

Operation of the First Embodiment

For a better understanding of the operation of apparatus 10, the box score of Table I hereunder sets forth a representative material balance for a typical process that may be advantageously carried out in accordance with the present invention to prepare an oxygenate additive for blending with motor fuel. It is to be understood in this respect that the specific parameters set out in the box score are for exemplary purposes only and are not intended as a limitation on the process. The material balance illustrates typical conditions that may be employed to produce an oxygenate by hydration of an olefin wherein a feed stream such as propene is reacted with water to produce either IPA or IPE.

    TABLE I          S-3 S-4 S-5 S-6 S-7 S-8 S-9 S-10  S-1 S-2 Propane HC Feed to Makeup      HC Feed to Recycle to Water to 1st 1st Stage HC Feed to Stream No. Fresh      Feed Recycle Product Reactor Water 1st Stage 1st Stage Stage Effluent      2nd Stage        Temp. (F.) 90 90 85 113 113 113 290 113 266 113 Pressure 200 200 150      2000 2000 2000 1915 2000 1955 2000 (psia) Ethylene (Mol/Hr) 0.3120      0.3120  0.0773   0.0773 0.0488 Ethane (Mol/Hr) 1.5580 0.0020 0.0020      1.5580  0.3861   0.3861 0.2436 Propene (Mol/Hr) 432.9750 42.7500 0.6992      475.0258  117.7125 0.0010  42.7522 74.2776 Propane (Mol/Hr) 101.2600      10.0027 101.2827 9.9400  2.4632 0.0002  2.4656 1.5542 C.sub.4 's      (Mol/Hr) 0.9990  0.9990 Water (Mol/Hr)     431.2329  197.4089 68.0155      302.0084 Acetone (Mol/Hr)         0.0024 Ethanol (Mol/Hr)       .0001      0.0004 IPE (Mol/Hr)         0.1854 IPA (Mol/Hr)       0.2804  74.7915      n-PA (Mol/Hr)       0.0009  0.0830 C.sub.6 = (Mol/Hr)         0.0003      C.sub.6 OH (Mol/Hr) C.sub.9 = (Mol/Hr) C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr)      TOTAL 537.1040 52.7547 102.9829 486.8358 431.2329 120.6391 197.6915      68.0155 422.8356 76.1242         S-11 S-12 S-13 S-14 S-15 S-16 S-17 S-18 S-19 S-20  Water to 2nd Stage      HC to Water to 3rd 3rd Stage HC to Water to 4th Effluent from HC to 5th      Water to Stream No. 2nd Stage Effluent 3rd Stage Stage Effluent 4th      Stage Stage 4th Stage Stage 5th Stage        Temp. (F.) 113 273.2 113 113 279.2 113 113 284 113 113 Pressure 2000      1947 2000 2000 1939 2000 2000 1931 2000 2000 (psia) Ethylene (Mol/Hr)      0.1255 0.0481  0.1733 0.0472  0.2202 0.0460 Ethane (Mol/Hr)  0.6296      0.2402  0.8698 0.2358  1.1056 0.2299 Propene (Mol/Hr)  42.7521 73.2661      42.7521 71.8915  42.7521 70.0716 Propane (Mol/Hr)  4.0250 1.5331  5.5669      1.5043  7.0840 1.4663 C.sub.4 's (Mol/Hr) Water (Mol/Hr) 82.9079      309.8918  78.2037 317.0008  73.2951 322.4301  67.7224 Acetone (Mol/Hr)      0.0076   0.0164   0.0292 Ethanol (Mol/Hr)  0.0007   .0010   .0013 IPE      (Mol/Hr)  1.5146   3.5828   7.5798 IPA (Mol/Hr)  146.4869   251.3406      279.1219 n-PA (Mol/Hr)  0.1620   0.2378   0.3080 C.sub.6 = (Mol/Hr)      0.0021   0.0054   0.0107 C.sub.6 OH (Mol/Hr)  0.0011   0.0031   0.0071      C.sub.9 = (Mol/Hr)  0.0002   0.0005   0.0009 C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr)      0.0001   0.0003   TOTAL 82.9079 505.5992 75.0875 78.2037 585.4958      73.6788 73.2951 660.6512 71.8138 67.7224         S-21 S-22 S-23 S-24  S-26 S-27   S-30 S-31 S-32  5th Stage HC to 6th      Water to 6th Effluent From S-25 Air Cooled 130° F. Aque- S-28      S-29 Oxygenate Deethanizer Overhead Stream No. Effluent Stage Stage 6th      Stage Light Liquid Light Liquid ous Phase Deprop. Feed 92° F.      Product Feed Product        Temp. (F.) 287.6 113 113 290 290 130 130 92 92 324 86 38 Pressure 1923      2000 2000 1915 1915 1885 1885 1870 1870 200 190 400 (psia) Ethylene      (Mol/Hr) 0.2659 0.0446  0.3102 0.3102 0.3102  0.3102   .3102 0.3102      Ethane (Mol/Hr) 1.3355 0.2225  1.5600 1.5600 1.5600  1.5600   1.5600      1.5580 Propene (Mol/Hr) 42.7521 67.8065  42.7521 42.7511 42.7510 0.0001      47.7510  0.0006 42.7504 0.0004 Propane (Mol/Hr) 8.5671 1.4189  10.0070      10.0070 10.0070  10.0070  0.0043 10.0027 C.sub.4 's (Mol/Hr) Water      (Mol/Hr) 326.2634  62.0884 328.6514 132.2424 34.6475 97.5949 23.5876      13.6597 20.9872 0.0035 0.0006 Acetone (Mol/Hr) 0.0460   0.0670 0.0670      0.0670  0.0670  0.0670 Ethanol (Mol/Hr) .0016   0.0019 0.0018 .0018      0.0018  .0018 IPE (Mol/Hr) 13.7232   21.7786 21.7786 21.7786  27.7786      21.7786 IPA (Mol/Hr) 336.7805   388.3384 388.0579 388.0486 0.0093      388.0481 0.0005 388.0481 n-PA (Mol/Hr) 0.3715   0.4283 0.4274 0.4273      0.0001 0.4273  0.4273 C.sub.6 = (Mol/Hr) 0.0181   0.0277 0.0277 0.0277      0.0277  0.0277 C.sub.6 OH (Mol/Hr) 0.0133   0.0219 0.0219 0.0219  0.0219       0.0219 C.sub.9 = (Mol/Hr) 0.0014   0.0020 0.0020 0.0020  0.0020  0.0020      C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr) 0.0006   0.0010 0.0010 0.0010  0.0010  0.0010      TOTAL 730.1402 69.4925 62.0884 795.1653 597.2560 510.6516 97.5954      449.5912 13.6602 430.1127 54.6268 1.8692

For convenience, the principle streams of the illustrative process as set out in the schematic representations of FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C are keyed to the box score of Table I by numbers within a diamond. In the description hereof, the streams coded by a diamond in the drawing are identified as "S-n" wherein "S" represents "Stream" and "n" is the number assigned to that stream in the box score.

From the box score of Table I it can be seen that in the representative process, the fresh feed introduced into apparatus 10 via line 18 and identified as stream S-1, and which may for example, be supplied from a petroleum refinery process, typically is made up of a majority of propene, a lesser proportion of propane, and minor amounts of ethylene, ethane and C₄ hydrocarbons. That stream, which for instance, may be supplied at a temperature of 90° F. and a pressure of 200 psia is heat exchanged with the propane bottoms from splitter 30, as well as a part of the outflow from hydrocarbon surge feed drum 54 in heat exchanger 26 before being introduced into a central part of vessel 30 via lines 20, 24 and 28. The propane by-product bottoms from the splitter 30 removed therefrom via line 32, in the exemplary material balance, is principally propane. It also contains any C₄ hydrocarbons introduced into the fresh feed together with limited amounts of propene.

The gaseous overhead from splitter 30, which is primarily propene is removed from the column through line 36, and after being compressed in compressor 38, and following passage thereof through the heat exchange section 42 within the lower part of vessel 30, flows into separator 44. Thus, flexibility is achieved in the heat balance for the C₃ splitter 30, particularly in light of the fact that the heat of compression by compressor 38 serves to increase the stripping capacity of the tower 30. Liquids produced as a result of heat exchange of the propene feed stream in the lower part of vessel 30 are collected in separator 44 and returned via line 48 to the top of tower 30. The gaseous propene overhead from separator 44 after being further compressed by make compressor 52 is heat exchanged with cooling water in heat exchanger 58 and then introduced into the hydrocarbon surge feed drum 54. As previously indicated, a part of the outflow from surge drum 54 is returned to separator 44 10 via line 60 which brings the stream into heat exchange relationship with the feed gas stream through the medium of heat exchanger 26.

The feed stream outflow S-4 from hydrocarbon feed surge drum 54 leaves that vessel through line 64, and is pumped by pumps 62 to a pressure of about 2000 psia. The propene content of feed stream S-4 is of the order of about 98%.

Makeup water supplied through line 94 is passed through an ion exchange bed 96 to remove cations and/or mineral impurities in the water. If cations were permitted to remain in the makeup water they would neutralize the sulfonic acid sites of the sulfonic acid resin catalyst thereby causing deactivation of the catalytic agent, and decrease the desired hydration reactions, i.e., formation of IPA or IPE from the propene and water entering reactor 78. The infeed to the first catalytic stage 80 is made up of propene, recycle water and fresh makeup water. The composition of such infeed is therefore the combination of stream S-8 (makeup water), stream S-6 (propene), and stream S-7 (recycle water).

Simultaneously with introduction of propene and water reactants into the first catalytic stage 80, propene and water are also directed into the reactor vessel 78 at the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth stages 82-90 respectively. As is most apparent from FIG. 1B, propene stream S-10 is introduced into the second catalytic stage in conjunction with makeup water stream S-11. In like manner, propene stream S-13 along with makeup water stream S-14 is directed into the third catalytic reaction stage 84. Propene stream S-16 along with makeup water stream S-17 is introduced into the fourth catalytic stage 86, propene stream S-19 along with makeup water stream S-20 is directed to the fifth catalytic reaction stage 88 and propene feed stream S-22 in conjunction with makeup water stream S-23 is directed to the sixth catalytic reaction stage 90.

The flow rates of the various propene feed streams, as well as the flow rates of makeup water and recycle water as appropriate, and the temperature conditions thereof, are correlated with the catalytic reactions taking place in the first through sixth catalytic stages 80-90 to maintain the specified temperature and pressure parameters within each stage substantially at the average values indicated in FIG. 1B. Control of the temperature in each of the reactor stages at substantially the value indicated for each stage has the concomitant effect of maintaining the pressure in each reactor stage at the levels set out in FIG. 1B. Thus, the reactants in first stage 80 are maintained at a temperature of about 266° F. with a resulting pressure of about 1955 psia, the temperature of the reactants in the second catalytic stage 82 is maintained at the indicated temperature of about 273.2° F. and thus producing a pressure of about 1947 psia, the temperature of the reactants in the third catalytic stage 84 is maintained at about 279.2° F. thus providing a pressure of about 1939 psia, the reactants in the fourth stage 86 are maintained at about 284° F. with a pressure of about 1931 psia being maintained, the temperature of the reactants in the fifth stage 88 is maintained at a level of about 287.6° F. with a concomitant pressure of about 1923 psia, and the temperature of the reactants in the sixth catalytic stage are maintained at about 290° F. with a corresponding pressure of about 1915 psia. Hydraulic turbine 220 controls the back pressure on stages 80-90 to maintain the specified pressure conditions within each of the stages.

The amount of heat transferred from respective heat exchangers 68, 112, 116, 120, 124 and 106 to streams S-6, S-10-11, S-13-14, S-16-17, S-19-20, and S-22-23 may be adjusted by selective control of the proportion of streams S-25 that is permitted to flow in bypassing relationship to the heat exchangers via line 135.

Close control over the temperature of the catalytic beds 80-90 respectively is assured by virtue of the fact that the propene and water feed streams to each of the catalytic stages are brought into heat exchange relationship with the stream S-25 overhead flow from reactor vessel 78, through heat exchanger 68, 112, 116, 120, 124 and 106 respectively, which are connected in parallel across stream S-25. The less dense liquid overhead stream S-25 which exits from reactor vessel 78 via line 134 contains nearly all of the oxygenate product and unreacted hydrocarbons. A comparatively small amount of C₃ alcohols remain dissolved in the more dense liquid phase below line 196 which is drawn from the upper end of the reactor 78 through line 198.

Controlling the initial stage temperature in stage 80 to maintain a level which is significantly lower than temperature of the final stage of stage 90 offsets the initially higher concentration of propene feed to the lowermost catalytic stage of the reactor 78. Lower concentration of propene is inherent in succeeding stages by virtue of dilution effects. The surrounding fluid temperature which is cooler in the initial catalytic stage 80 also acts to offset the higher exothermic heat attributable to a greater quantity of catalytic reactions occurring in surrounding relationship to each catalytic particle in the first stage than in latter stages as a result of a more favorable equilibrium and negligible product concentrations in the incoming feed. The lower fluid temperature in the first or initial stage 80 also off-sets the fact that the concentration of propene is highest in the first stage, where the pressure is also the highest. High temperatures and pressures tend to increase the probability of localized polymer reaction, particularly if mal-distribution of the reactants occurred or there was an absence or a limitation of water flow around the individual catalyst particles.

In the present process however, absence of water around each catalyst particle, or restriction of water flow past the catalyst particles is avoided by virtue of the provision of the aqueous phase which constitutes a continuous fluid in the liquid fluidized catalytic stage. Localized hot spots are thus precluded which would otherwise be precursors of oligomers.

It is also important to note in this respect that the increase in temperature between proximal catalytic stages starting with stage 80 and progressing toward stage 90 is limited to a value within a range of from about 2° F. to about 8° F., with the range in the specific example given being about 7.2° F. difference between stages 80 and 82, and 2.4° F. difference between stages 88 and 90.

In view of the fact that the driving force for reaction of propene with water favors formation of IPA over IPE, the fact that the present process results in some IPE being produced in the first stage is evidence of the efficiency of reactor 78, and particularly of the efficient utilization of the fluidized catalytic bed making up initial stage 80.

The exothermic reaction that takes place in initial catalytic stage 80 makes it unnecessary to add heat to the reactants other than the heat supplied by the water recycle stream S-7 which is at a temperature of 290° F. and the heat made available to the propene feed which is heat exchanged in exchanger 68 with the overhead from reactor 78, also at 290° F. The propene feed to each of the stages 82-90 is also preheated to some extent by passage in heat exchange relationship with the overhead from reactor 78 through the provision of heat exchangers 112, 116, 120, 124 and 106. The first stage propene feed reactor organic phase effluent heat exchanger 68 is constructed to provide a reasonable temperature approach to the leaving reactor organic phase. First stage bed temperature control is achieved by bypassing a portion of the cold propene feed around heat exchanger 68. Only a limited amount of cold propene feed by pass is required.

The molar ratio of water to propene delivered to each of the catalytic stages 80-90 inclusive is desirably maintained within the range of from about 2:1 to about 6:1, and preferably from about 2:1 to about 4:1. The molar ratio of water to propene entering the first stage is controlled most preferably from about 2.5:1 to about 3.5:1. In an exemplary process, the water to propene molar ratios may be expressed as follows:

                  TABLE II                                                         ______________________________________                                         Catalytic                                                                      Stages    Water       Propene  Molar Ratio                                     ______________________________________                                         In to Stage                                                                              3939.68     1231.15  3.200                                           80                                                                             Out from  3140.20     427.38   7.348                                           Stage 80                                                                       In to Stage                                                                              4000.71     1225.96  3.263                                           82                                                                             Out from  3218.43     427.38   7.531                                           Stage 82                                                                       In to Stage                                                                              4029.30     1184.75  3.401                                           84                                                                             Out from  3293.15     427.38   7.703                                           Stage 84                                                                       In to Stage                                                                              4022.90     1135.22  3.545                                           86                                                                             Out from  3358.58     427.38   7.859                                           Stage 86                                                                       In to Stage                                                                              4018.17     1093.36  3.675                                           88                                                                             Out from  3418.53     427.38   7.999                                           Stage 88                                                                       In to Stage                                                                              4005.97     1027.18  3.900                                           90                                                                             Out from  3471.63     427.38   8.123                                           Stage 90                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The flow rates of propene streams S-10, S-13, S-16, S-19 and S-22 are controlled so that the amount of propene injected into each of the stages 82-90 inclusive is generally equivalent to the propene which reacts in a given stage.

The molar ratio of water which reacts with propene introduced into respective catalytic stages increases as the temperature of corresponding catalytic beds increases, and as the percent of conversion rises. A favorable water to olefin ratio is therefore maintained by injecting a slight excess of water over that chemically consumed in each catalytic stage 80-90. A higher water to propene molar ratios than specified herein would result in a decrease in the amount of diisopropyl ether formed. IPE is a desirable constituent when producing an oxygenate motor fuel additive.

The aqueous liquid phase in each of the catalytic stages 80-90 functions as a continuous phase during operation of reactor 76 under preferred conditions. Nearly all of the organic products produced enter the less dense liquid phase which contains unreacted hydrocarbon feed constituents. The surrounding aqueous continuous phase has been found to contain a limited concentration of dissolved IPA with negligible IPE content, even in stage 90. Individual catalyst particles, which are maintained in a fluidized state by the upwardly moving fluid phases, cause the aqueous continuous phase velocity to become more effective as a fluidizing medium for stages 80-90 by virtue of the fact that its velocity is increased by the displaced volume occupied by the more buoyant concurrent moving lighter liquid phase droplets. Unlike the continuous aqueous liquid phase, this lighter phase is dispersed in a discontinuous form, primarily as liquid droplets for the product of this first stage 80 on toward final stage 90. Coalescing of smaller droplets into larger size droplets occurs in the downstream catalytic stages of the reactor 76. Such larger agglomerations of the lighter organic liquid phase which contains all the propene, are again initially redispersed into droplets of limited size by a succeeding stage distributor plate so that excellent mass transfer of the propene is facilitated to participate in the desired hydrolysis reactions.

As long as two liquid phases exist from an equilibrium viewpoint, the fluidized bed arrangement of the present process assures the presence of water at each catalyst particle, because each catalyst particle is bathed aqueous fluid. Presence of water is thus assured and supported by the upper flowing at each catalyst particle. Inhibition of oligomer formation results in addition to water being available for the desired hydration reactions. Diffusion of IPA and IPE formed at the surfaces of the catalyst particles is favored by the generally low oxygenate concentration in the moving surrounding aqueous liquid phase. Movement of the fluidized catalyst particles acts to enhance the mass transfer of formed oxygenate products from the catalyst particle surface to surrounding fluids to eventually become part of the dispersed lighter organic phase fluid. The more buoyant organic liquid phase droplets concurrently continue upward in the reactor stage at a slightly faster rate than the aqueous phase continuous liquid.

The two fluid phases have an active interchange because of fluidization. The dispersed organic phase, which contains nearly all of the hydrocarbon reactant, including unreacted propene, has frequent periodic direct contact with individual catalyst particles. Because of the area provided by the droplets containing the propene reactant and the turbulence produced by the fluidized bed conditions, continuous replacement, or saturation, of the aqueous phase by propene is assured for efficient conversion of propene to IPA/IPE. The IPA concentration of the upwardly flowing lighter liquid phase rapidly increases in successive catalytic stages 80-90. This enables a higher proportion of desirable IPE components to be formed under the controlled limited water proportions employed. IPE formation rapidly increases because of higher IPA concentrations and higher temperatures in succeeding stages.

The heavy liquid at the top of reactor stage 90, that is removed from the reactor vessel 78 as recycle water stream S-7 leaving the exit end of reactor vessel 78, contains a small proportion of sulfuric acid produced by desulfonation of the sulfonic acid catalyst. However, recycle of stream S-7 back to the first catalytic reaction stage 80 results in reduction of the desulfonation rate of the sulfonated resin by mass action effect. Furthermore, the close control that is provided over catalyst particle temperature, operation of the catalytic stages at maximum temperatures less than conventional, and assurance of water at each catalyst particle serves to reduce the deactivation rate for a given sulfonated ion exchange resin catalyst. As a consequence, oligomer (higher polymer) formation is limited to values significantly less than the amount of oligomers in produced prior processes.

Partial periodic replacement of catalyst avoids the necessity of replacing the full amount of catalyst in each catalytic stage 80-90. This replenishment of catalyst is accomplished by introducing a quantity of fresh catalyst into final reactor stage 90 through line 191 after opening of valve 193, accompanied by selective opening of the Valves 194, 190, 186, 182, 180 and 176. During the time that valves 194, 190, 186, 182, 180 and 176 are open, liquid containing suspended catalyst particles is allowed to flow through respective lines 192, 188, 184, 181, 178 and 174. Thus, a small amount of catalyst is removed from the first bed 80, while catalyst which drains from corresponding second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth catalytic stages 82-90, is redirected into the catalytic bed therebelow. It is contemplated that about 1/50th of the total volume of catalyst in each of the beds 80-90 be removed from the lower bed 8, or transferred to the next lower catalytic stage 82-90, each time the catalyst is replenished in final stage 90, and equal amount of catalyst is transferred to successive stages. Successive introduction of catalyst from the immediately proceeding catalytic stage into each of the catalytic stages, provides the most efficient use of the catalyst, improves its longevity, and permits the process operator to add catalyst to only the upper stage 90.

Viewing FIG. 1B, it is to be noted that the heavy liquid-light liquid interface at the top of reactor vessel 78 is schematically indicated by the scalloped line 196. The composition of the light liquid above the interface line is indicated in the material balance box score as stream S-25; the composition of the heavy liquid below the interface line is represented by the stream S-7 of the box score. As is also evident from the box score of Table I, the composition of the reactants in fluidized beds 80-90 inclusive is set out as S-9, S-12, S-15, S-18, S-21 and S-24 respectively of the material balance box score.

Stream S-25 flowing through line 134, after flowing through successively oriented heat exchangers 68, 112, 116, 120, 124 and 106 passes through air cooler 136 before flowing into light liquid/heavy liquid separator 138. In the context of this process, light liquid is the term designating the organic overhead (stream S-25) from reactor vessel 78. Heavy liquid on the other hand is principally water that separates from the organic overhead components which exit from the final catalytic stage 90. The water constituting such liquid is returned to the infeed of the first catalytic stage 80 as stream S-27 via line 208.

Sulfuric acid, being very polar, tends to be preferentially retained in an aqueous medium when two phase separation is permitted. This takes place in the final stage of the reaction zone defined by reactor 78. Liquid phase particulate fluidization is very smooth so that a distinct solid-fluid interface occurs in each fluidized reaction stage 80-90 under the preferred reaction conditions. In the final stage 90, an enlarged diameter space for the fluid separation allows the less dense liquid organic phase to separate from the more dense aqueous liquid phase as indicated by the interface level 196 above the uppermost stage 90 in FIG. 1B. The aqueous phase represented by stream S-7 contains only a very small fraction of the alcohols formed with a negligible proportion of IPE being present. Stream S-7 is returned by pump 200 preferentially to the first stage 80. Although this directionally acts to increase the yield of IPE by allowing more combination of propene with recycled IPA, the formation of IPE is desired for a motor fuel additive because it has a significantly lower Reid vapor pressure (RVP) than IPA while retaining equivalent octane blending characteristics on a volumetric basis when blended with typical refinery gasoline components. The bulk of any sulfuric acid is thus retained and returned to the reaction zone where it acts to prolong activity.

Because of the solubilizing action of the IPA component in the gasoline oxygenate additive produced, more water than usual can be retained by the final gasoline blend without separation of a water phase at a given temperature. Thus, it is possible to achieve the necessary water separation for the oxygenate product when blended for most ASTM Class C or higher refinery gasolines at the requisite 2.0 or 2.7 weight percent oxygen levels by simply cooling the organic phase represented by stream S-25 to a lower temperature and separating the resultant aqueous phase formed utilizing separation section 16 as depicted in FIG. 1C. The material balance given relates to typical summer conditions. This separation would be carried out by light liquid/heavy liquid separator 138 for the air cool product and by light liquid/heavy liquid separator 204 for the water cooled product. The concentration of sulfuric acid found in aqueous stream S-27 should be less than that separated from the recycle stream S-7. Furthermore, the concentration of sulfuric acid found in aqueous stream S-25 should be less than the sulfuric acid content found in stream S-27.

Acid is prevented from being present in stream S-28 which is sent to separation, by virtue of the fact that the resident water forms a minimum boiling point azeotrope with the C₃ components, and this water is readily separated because it has limited solubility at reflux conditions. As indicated, sulfuric acid is preferentially soluble in the water rather than the organic constituents. It is to be noted that part of the deionized water makeup could supplement the acid free water returned by pump 248 to light liquid/heavy liquid separator 204, so that neutralization of the oxygenate product is more than reasonably precluded under the process of this invention.

The lighter organic layer from the separator 138 represented by the stream S-26 is principally IPA, IPE, some water vapor, propene, and lesser amounts of propane, ethane and ethylene. That stream, after passing through heat exchanger 207, is introduced into a second light liquid/heavy liquid separator 204, which serves to further separate water from the less dense organic liquid. The separated water identified as stream S-29 is returned to recycle line 208 by a line 212. The light liquid overhead from separator 204 and identified in the box score of Table I as stream S-28, is made up of unreacted hydrocarbon components, C₃ alcohols, IPE, minor amounts of other alcohols, acetone, C₆ and C₉ olefins, and some water, the proportion of which is dependent on the temperature.

The light liquid stream S-28 from separator 204 is first passed through plate heat exchanger 222 and then tube and shell heat exchanger 224, and then introduced into a central part of depropanizer still 218 via line 216. Steam is used for the reboiler in the bottom of depropanizer column 218 through line 228. Trays are employed in column 218 to separate the oxygenate product produced in the present process from unreacted hydrocarbons. It is understood that other vapor-liquid contacting means such as packing could be substituted for the trays. A portion of the hot oxygenate bottoms from depropanizer 218 are diverted to the reboiler of deethanizer 250 through supply and return lines 278. It is to be understood in this respect that other low level heat such as a portion of stream S-25 which bypasses the temperature control heat exchangers 68, 112, 116, 120, 124 and 106 could be substituted as the heat source for the comparatively small deethanizer reboiler duty requirements.

The gaseous overhead from depropanizer 218 flowing through line 234 is directed into the section 23 of drum 232 after passing through heat exchanger 236, where the lighter fraction is sent back to the top of tower 218. The heavier fraction from section 238 is introduced into line 216 for return to light liquid/heavy liquid separator 204 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof. The gaseous overhead from section 238 is conveyed to section 240 of the reflux drum where the condensed hydrocarbon product is pumped through line 251 for introduction into deethanizer still 250.

A lighter fraction separated from the material flow into section 240 of drum 232 is directed to the central part of deethanizer 250 via line 251 as stream S-31. Dissolved water in the deethanizer feed is separated within vessel 250 and proceeds overhead with the overhead product. Upon condensation, the water is drawn off as a stream flowing through line 272 which is sent back to section 240 of reflux drum 232. Water has only a limited solubility in the liquid hydrocarbon stream returned as reflux to the top of deethanizer 250 through line 270. The net water separated overhead by the depropanizer 218 is sent back to the light liquid/heavy liquid separator 204 in the preferred embodiment or can be returned to the depropanizer 218 as an alternate arrangement. Heat is introduced into the bottom of column 250 by virtue of the fact that a portion of the bottoms from depropanizer 218 are circulated through the heating coils indicated schematically by the dashed lines at the bottom of still 250.

The overhead from column 250 is directed into vapor-liquid reflux drum 262 after having passed through heat exchanger 266. A lighter fraction separated from the end flow to the drum 262 is returned to the top of column 0, while the heavier fraction which is separated in the drum is redirected into the section 240 of reflux drum 232 by line 272. The by-product out as an overhead from drum 262 is designated at stream S-32 in the box score of Table I and consists of ethane, ethylene and a very minor amount of propene. The bottoms from deethanizer 250 are returned as S-2 which joins with fresh feed stream S-1.

One feature of the present invention is the fact that the oxygenate component has 26.096 weight percent oxygen, higher than IPA, because of the water content. The IPA and IPE in admixture also impart to the motor fuel blending agent the capability of dissolving additional amounts of water, even under exposure to cold winter temperatures. Furthermore, because of the low freezing point imported to the gasoline fluid and absence of an aqueous layer phase separation, ice formation is precluded. Dissolved quantities of water act as an octane enhancer in motor fuel, probably because of higher latent heat values that cool the initiating temperature present at spark ignition.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

It has been found that a more economic overall process from an equipment standpoint can be provided where refinery fresh cut propene-propane feed stock is introduced directly into the reactor section of the processing apparatus rather than initially being directed to a splitter for separating propene from the propane and higher hydrocarbon constituents. Apparatus broadly designated 410 in FIGS. 2A, 2B1, 2B2 and 2C permits somewhat more economical production of an oxygenate for addition to motor fuels, than apparatus 10 previously described. Again, apparatus 410 is made up of only three basic process segments. Those segments include splitting unit 412, recycle hydrocarbon splitting unit 412 (FIG. 2A), reactor unit 414 (FIG. 2B1 and 2B2), and oxygenate separation unit 416 (FIG. 2C) for separating the oxygenate product from unreacted hydrocarbons and water.

Further economic benefits may be realized by the utilization of a multiplicity of reactor vessels in staged, serial relationship, rather than comprising a stacked arrangement as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1B hereof. For example, three reactor vessels may be substituted for the single reactor vessel of FIG. 1B, with one of the vessels being provided with two catalytic stages, while the other two vessels each have three catalytic stages. The use of three serially connected, two and three catalytic stage vessels enhances bed expansions consistent with the design fluids flowing in the particular reactor vessel. Furthermore, the first stage of the first reactor vessel may be of smaller diameter than the second stage thereof, thus providing an economic saving. In like manner, the stages of the second and third reactor vessels may be of successively different diameters, increasing in the direction of fluid flow therethrough, for economy purposes.

Catalyst transfer and replenishment between the lowermost stage of a vessel and an earlier stage in a proceeding vessel may be readily accomplished by withdrawing catalyst into a comparatively small volume catalyst transfer vessel, followed by lifting of this vessel to the top of the proceeding vessel. Catalyst then flows by gravity from this transfer vessel to the uppermost stage of the proceeding vessel. Similarly, fresh or rejuvenated catalyst may be added to the final stage vessel using a similar lifting procedure. This multiple reactor vessel system has the advantage of limiting overall vessel height. It also enhances replenishment of catalyst in that catalyst can be added to individual vessels, particularly during initial on stream operation, without the necessity of transferring catalyst from stage to stage each time a catalyst addition is carried out.

Referring initially to FIGS. 2A and 2B1, refinery fresh cut C₃ /C₃ ⁻ hydrocarbon feed stock is introduced into apparatus 410 through line 418. An exemplary refinery fresh cut propene-propane hydrocarbon feed stock contains from about 60 to about 86 mol percent, usually from about 64 to 78 mol percent, and typically about 74 mol percent of propene, plus propane and incidental amounts of other hydrocarbons including ethylene, ethane and isobutane. The composition of the feed stock in the exemplary process of the material balance in Table III below, is set out under the heading of stream S-101.

Line 418 directs the refinery fresh cut propane/propene feed stock to the reactor unit 414. As is evident from FIGS. 2B1 and 2B2, the reactor unit 414 is made up of three reactors, 420, 422 and 424 respectively. Reactor 420 has a lower first reactor section 426 and a coaxial, serially connected, upper stacked second reactor section 428 of somewhat greater diameter than section 426. A perforated distributor 430 extends across the lower part of section 426, while another perforated distributor 432 extends across the lower part of the upper reactor section 428. Injectors 434 and 436 are respectively located above and below distributor 432.

Reactor unit 422 is made up of three reactor sections, i.e., third section 438, fourth section 440 and fifth section 442 respectively, also arranged in coaxial, serially connected, stacked relationship. The third, fourth and fifth reactor sections 438-442 also successively increase in diameter. A perforated distributor 444 across the lower portion of third reactor section 438 is between injectors 446 and 448 respectively while perforated distributor 450 between the third and fourth reactor sections 438 and 440 is located between injectors 452 and 54, and perforated distributor 456 at the juncture of the fourth and fifth reactors 440 and 442 is between injectors 458 and 460.

Reactor 424 has three reactor sections made up of the sixth reactor section 462, the seventh reactor section 464 and the eighth reactor section 466. As is evident from FIG. 2B2, the sixth, seventh and eighth reactor sections are also in coaxial, vertically stacked, serially interconnected relationship with the diameter of the reactor sections successively increasing from the sixth to the eighth reactor zones. Perforated distributor 468 is between injectors 470 and 472, perforated distributor 474 at the juncture of the sixth and the seventh reactor sections 462 and 464 is between injectors 476 and 478, and perforated distributor 480 at the zone of juncture of the seventh and eighth reactors sections 464 and 466, is between injectors 482 and 484.

Although as previously set forth, a preferred catalyst for the fluidized beds of reactors 420, 422 and 424 is a cross-linked aryl sulfonic acid cation exchange resin such as a particulate sulfonated polystyrene-divinyl benzene resin, e.g. Rohm & Haas IR-120 or Dow Chemical Dowex 50, other catalytic agents may be used including any of those identified above in connection with the process of the first embodiment hereof. It is to be appreciated though that any solid particulate catalyst which is capable of efficiently hydrating olefins may be employed in the present process.

It is preferred that the catalyst particles be in the 20 to 100 mesh range. Screening or other size classification processes may be employed to narrow the actual ratio of maximum particle diameter to minimum particle diameter to less than 1.5.

Any solid acid catalyst is useful in the present process, provided it is a particulate solid and can be manufactured in a suitable particulate sizing range as described for liquid fluidization in respective reactors. A liquid fluidized system within reactors 420, 422 and 424 means that decreased crushing strengths of the catalyst are well tolerated. In view of the fact that liquid fluidization, unlike gas fluidization, is smooth, the attrition level of the particulate catalyst is substantially eliminated.

Although catalyst particles in the 20 to 100 mesh range are preferred in the present process, other sized catalyst may be employed depending upon the nature of the particular catalyst employed. The reactors 420, 422 and 424 are configured and arranged such that each reactor easily accommodates smaller diameter catalyst particles than is practical for a conventional downflow fixed bed reactor because of excessive pressure drop.

The present process allows utilization of particles having a smaller diameter than practical for a conventional downflow fixed bed reactor without the excessive pressure drop concerns that would otherwise arise by the use of small particle size catalytic materials. Pressure drop under fluidization conditions may be well defined in the present process and is equivalent to the weight of catalyst plus associated hydrostatic head for the design conditions, i.e., independent of catalyst particle size.

Line 418 is connected to a line 486 joined to the injector 434 of the second stage reactor section 428, and also extends to and is connected to the lowermost end of the sixth stage reactor section 462 of reactor 424 below injector 472 as depicted in FIG. 2B2, for upflow of the feed stock stream within reactor section stages 428 and 462 respectively.

The feed to the first stage reactor section 426 enters the reactor through line 488 which receives fresh cut propene-propane feed stock via line 490 which in turn is connected to a line 492 which extends through one side of the heat exchanger 494 associated with the first stage reactor section 426. Line 496 joined to line 488 introduces hot water recycle from the top of the eighth stage reactor section 466 into the first reactor section 426. The composition of the stream flowing into the first section 426 is indicated in column S-108 of Table III hereunder.

The olefin feed to reactor 422 is propene derived from the C₃ splitter vessel 498. The source of the feed to splitter 498 is the recycle propane stream returned via line 500 from separation unit 416 as stream S-102. The recycle propane stream is introduced into the infeed of one side of a heat exchanger 502, with the outfeed side of that heat exchanger being connected to the infeed of one side of another heat exchanger 504 by a line 506. The outfeed of that same side of the heat exchanger 504 is joined to a mid-point of splitter column 498 by a line 508. The propene overhead from splitter column 498 is removed therefrom via line 510 connected to compressor 512. The compressed propene leaving compressor 512 is returned to internal coils 514 at the lower part of column 498 through line 516. The propene outflow from coils 514 is directed into separator 518 through line 520. The liquid separated from the input to separator 518 is returned to the upper end of the splitter column 498 through line 522.

Liquid product collecting on the lowermost tray at the bottom of splitter column 498 is removed from the column by a line 524 having a pump 526 interpose therein. A line 528 for return of liquid to column 498 is connected to the lowermost part thereof. Lines 524 and 528, designated as R1 and R2 respectively in FIG. 2A, are joined to lines R1 and R2 of heat exchanger 720 of FIG. 2C which will be described in detail hereinafter.

Propane byproduct removed as a liquid from the bottom of column 498 through line 530 passes through heat exchanger 502 in heat exchange relationship with stream S-102, and may be directed to a source of use via line 531. The composition of the propane byproduct is set forth as stream S-103 in the exemplary material balance of Table III hereunder.

The propene overhead from separator 518 is introduced into the suction side of compressor 532 by line 533, while the pressure side of compressor 532 is joined to a propene recycle feed surge drum 534 by a line 536. A chiller 538 which receives cooling water is interposed in line 536. A liquid return line 540 extends through heat exchanger 504 and is joined to a mid-point of separator 518. Propene leaves drum 534 via line 542 connected to the section side of a pump 544. The propene feed line 546 which is joined to the pressure side of pump 544 is connected to line 41 adjacent the sixth stage reactor section 462. Line 547 extending from the top of fifth reactor section 442 and joined to the bottom of the sixth reactor section 462 directs the effluent from reactor 422 to the lowermost inlet of reactor 424. An exemplary effluent composition from reactor 422 and which is directed to the sixth stage reactor section 462 is found in the column under the heading S-121 in the material balance of this embodiment.

Line 545 extending from the top of the second stage reactor section 428 to the bottom of the third stage reactor section 438 functions to direct effluent from the second stage reactor into the bottom of the third stage reactor.

The composition of the propene stream flowing through line 546 from drum 534 is set forth under the heading S-104 of the material balance of the Table III example below. Furthermore, the makeup of the feed stream introduced into the lower portion of second stage reactor section 428 and identified as stream S-110 in FIG. 2B1, is a composite of fresh cut feed stream S-101 and recycle propene stream S-104 by virtue of the provision of a bypass line 553 between line 418 and line 546.

The recycle propene supplied to reactor unit 414 through line 546 is directed into line 418 as previously alluded to so that a composite of streams S-101 and S-104 enters the sixth stage reactor section 462 via injector 470 as stream S-122. Line 548 connected to line 418, and bypass line 550 between line 546 and line 548, direct a composite of the fresh cut refinery feed stock of stream S-101, and of stream S-104 flowing through line 546 as stream S-122b, into the eighth stage reactor section via injector 482.

In like manner, line 551 connected to line 418 and to injector 476 at the lower part of the seventh stage reactor section 464, and in conjunction with bypass line 552 between line 546 and line 551, serves to direct a composite of stream S-101 and stream S-104 as stream S-122a into the lower end of the reactor section 464.

Viewing FIG. 2B1 it is to be seen that a line 554 joined to feed line 418 and connected to injector 446 of the third stage reactor section 438 directs fresh cut propene-propane feed stock into the third reactor stage. In addition, a line 558 between lines 546 and 554 introduces propene feed into the line 554 whereby the feed composition entering the third stage reactor section 438 is a composite stream S-113 as set out in the material balance below. Bypass line 560 joining line 558 to injector 552 of the fourth stage reactor section 440, and bypass line 562 between line 554 and line 560, direct a feed into the lower end of the fourth stage reactor section 440 having a composition identified as stream S-116 in the following exemplary material balance.

Bypass line 564 extending between line 558 and the injector 456 at the lower end of the fifth reactor section 442, along with bypass line 566 connecting line 554 to line 564, serves to direct a feed into the fifth reactor section 442 which is a composite of streams S-101 and S-104 and identified in the exemplary material balance hereunder as stream S-119.

Makeup water for reaction with the olefin feed streams and which is furnished from a suitable external source via line 568 (FIG. 2A), is directed into an ion exchange bed 570 so that deionized water leaving the bed 570 through line 572 and increased in pressure through a provision of a pump 574, is delivered to reactor unit 414 via deionized water supply line 576. As is evident from FIG. 2B1, a bypass line 578 connected to line 576 is joined directly to colder water recycle line 580 from separation unit 416. The water entering the first reactor stage 426 is therefore made up of the combination of fresh makeup water (stream S-105), and colder water recycle which is a combination of streams S-127 and S-129.

Water is supplied to the second stage reactor section 428 by a line 582 which extends from makeup water line 576, through one side of the second stage heat exchanger 584 directed to the injector 436 at the top of the first stage reactor below distributor 432. The heat exchanger 584 for the second stage reactor section 428 and the heat exchanger 494 for the first stage reactor section 426, are functional to permit selective control of the temperature of the water introduced into respective first and second reactor sections.

Water for reaction with the olefin feeds to the third through the eighth reactor sections depicted in FIG. 2B2 is also supplied from makeup water line 576. Control of the temperature of the water introduced into respective reactor sections is accomplished by provision of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stage heat exchangers 584, 586, 588, 590, 592, and 594, associated with the third through the eighth reactor sections respectively. As shown in FIG. 2B2, the makeup water line 576 extends through heat exchanger 584 and is connected to the water injector 484 at the lower end of the eighth stage reactor section 466. Bypass lines 596, 598, 600, 602 and 604, all joined to line 576 in parallel flow of relationship, extend through heat exchangers 584, 586, 588, 590 and 592 respectively, and are connected to corresponding water injectors 448, 454, 460, 472 and 474. The side of each of the heat exchangers 584, 586, 588, 590, 592 and 594, opposite lines 596, 598, 600, 602, 604 and 576 therethrough, is connected across light liquid return line 606 extending from the top of eighth reactor section 466, through the side of heat exchanger 494 opposite line 492, and thence back to the first light liquid/heavy liquid separator 608 shown in FIG. 2C.

Supply and return lines 610 and 612 respectively connect each of the heat exchangers 596, 598, 600, 602, 604 and 594 across the loop of light liquid return line 606, in order to prevent selective control of the temperature of the makeup water delivered to the third through the eighth reactor sections respectively of the reactors 422 and 424. Similarly, a loop bypass line 614 connected to light liquid return line 606 and extending through the side of heat exchanger 584 opposite line 582 therethrough, brings the light liquid into heat exchange relationship with the makeup water delivered to first reactor section 426 for controlling the temperature of that water supply.

As explained with respect to the other preceding embodiment of this invention, each of the catalytic reactors 426, 428, 438, 440, 442, 462, 464 and 466 function as fluidized beds. In like manner, the distributors 430, 432, 444, 450, 458, 468, 474 and 480 within reactors 10 420, 422 and 424 respectively, serve to support the particulate catalyst within each of the first through the eighth reactor stages. The distributor screens may be of the same type of previously described with respect to the stacked reactor vessel 78. Each of the vessels 420 and 422 is completely filled with liquid plus catalytic particles, while vessel 496 is filled with such fluidized bed liquid and catalyst particles to a level indicated by the line 616. Hot water which collects in the enlarged segment 424a of reactor vessel 424 is removed from the reactor via line 496 having a pump 618 therein. The heavy liquid/light liquid interface at the top of reactor vessel 424 is indicated schematically by the wavy line 620. The weir 622 also shown schematically within the upper segment 424a of vessel 424 and connected to light liquid return line 606 serves to direct light liquid which collects at the top of reactor 424 into line 606.

Catalyst may be added to reactor vessel 420 through valve controlled catalyst add line 624 joined to the upper part of second stage reactor section 428, and spent catalyst may be withdrawn from the lower part of reactor vessel 420 through valve controlled catalyst withdraw line 626. A valve controlled transfer line 628 extends between the lower part of second stage reactor section 428 and the upper portion of first stage reactor section 426. In this manner, a portion of the solid catalyst may be removed from the second stage reactor and redirected into the first stage reactor, either on an intermittent basis, under the direction of the controller 630 in line 628.

Reactor vessel 422 is provided with a valve controlled catalyst add line 632 at the upper end of the fifth reactor stage section 442, and a valve controlled catalyst withdraw line 634 at the lower end of the third reactor section 438. Catalyst transfer line 636 between the fourth and fifth stages and provided with a controller 638 therein, and catalyst transfer line 640 between the third and fourth stages and having a controller 642, permit selective transfer of catalyst between these stages as previously described. The valve controlled catalyst add line 644 and the valve controlled catalyst withdraw line 646 of the upper and lower ends respectively of vessel 424 allow catalyst to be added and withdrawn from the third reactor vessel. Catalyst transfer line 648 having a controller 650 therein, and extending between the seventh and eighth reactor stages, and catalyst transfer line 652 provided with a controller 654 extends between the sixth and seventh stages so that catalyst transfer between these stages may be selectively controlled.

As is shown in FIG. 2C, the return segment of light liquid loop line 606 connected to first light liquid/heavy liquid separator 608, extends through an air cooler 656 adjacent the separator. The stream entering separator 608 from line 606, after being reduced in temperature by cooler 656, is separated into fractions with the overhead therefrom passing through line 658 to the second light liquid/heavy liquid separator 660. Before entering vessel 660, the stream flowing through line 658 passes in heat exchange relationship with cooling water supplied to heat exchanger 662.

The underflow from separator vessel 608 is directed to line 580 via line 664 having a pump 666 therein. The bottoms from second separator vessel 660 are directed to line 580 by a line 668 having a pump 670 interposed therein.

The overhead from second separator vessel 660 is directed via line 672 to depropanizer distillation vessel 674 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof. It can be seen from FIG. 1C that the stream flowing in line 672 first passes through turbine 676, next through one side of a plate heat exchanger 678, and then through one side of a tube and shell heat exchanger 680. Steam is introduced into the lower end of still 674 by steam supply and return line 682.

The bottoms from still 674, constituting oxygenate product, are removed from the vessel via line 684 which extends through heat exchanger 680 in heat exchange relationship with the flow through line 672, and through the heat exchanger 680.

The overhead from depropanizer 674 is directed via line 686 to a reflux drum broadly designated 688. The stream flowing through line 686 is first brought into heat exchange relationship with cooling water flowing through heat exchanger 690. As is evident from FIG. 2C, reflux drum 688 has two sections, 692 and 694 respectively. The line 686 is connected to section 692 of drum 688, with a part of the outflow from section 692 being returned to the upper end of depropanizer 674 by line 696 provided with a pump 698 therein. The underflow from section 692 of drum 688 is removed therefrom via line 700 having a pump 702 therein which returns the collected liquid to second separator 660 intermediate internal separators within the vessel. Line 700 connects to separator drum 660 intermediate the ends thereof between upper and lower separator sections shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2C. A portion of the outflow from section 694 of drum 688 is introduced into a central part of deethanizer distillation vessel 704 by a line 706 having a pump 708 therein. The underflow from section 694 of drum 688 is directed into line 700 by line 710.

The bottom outflow from deethanizer 704 is returned to recycle propane splitter feed line 500 by a line 712 connected to heat exchanger 714 provided with a supply of cooling water. The overhead from deethanizer 704 is directed to vapor-liquid reflux drum 716 through a line 718 connected to the top of vessel 716. The stream flowing through line 718 first passes through a heat exchanger 720 which brings the product stream into heat exchange relationship with the streams R1 and R2 of lines 524 and 528 respectively from C₃ splitter 498.

Ethane and ethylene by-products are removed from drum 716 via line 722. A portion of the outflow from reflux drum 716 is returned to the upper end of deethanizer 704 by a line 724 having a pump 726 therein while the bottoms from drum 716 are directed into section 694 of reflux drum 688 through a line 728. The stream flowing through line 728 first passes through heat exchanger 730 before flowing into section 694. Heat exchangers 730 and 690 receive cooling water which is in series relationship as indicated by the schematic representation of FIG. 2C. The overhead from section 692 of reflux drum 694 is introduced into line 728 through a line 732 which is connected to line 728 upstream of heat exchanger 730.

Bypass line 734 connected to line 672 ahead of heat exchanger 678 serves to divert a portion of the bottoms from depropanizer 674 through deethanizer 704 and to then return such stream to line 678 intermediate heat exchangers 680 and 678

Oxygenate product leaves still 674 via line 736. The composition of oxygenate product-out stream S-130 is set forth in the box score of Table III.

Operation of the Preferred Embodiment

In order to better understand the operation of apparatus 410, the box score of Table III hereunder sets forth a representative material balance for a typical process that may be advantageously carried out in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention to prepare an oxygenate additive for blending with motor fuel. It is again to be understood in this respect that the specific parameters set out in Table III are for exemplary purposes only and are not intended as a limitation on the process. This material balance also illustrates typical conditions that may be employed to produce an oxygenate by hydration of an olefin wherein a feed stream such as propene is reacted with water to produce either IPA or IPE.

    TABLE III           S-104   S-107     S-101 S-102 S-103 Propene S-105 S-106 Hot Water      S-108 S-109 S-110  Fresh C.sub.3 /C.sub.3.sup.- Recycle C.sub.3 Propane      Feed to Makeup HC Feed To Recycle to Total Feed to 1st Stage HC Feed to      Stream No. Feed Stock Splitter Feed Product Reactor Water 1st Stage 1st      Stage 1st Stage Effluent 2nd Stage        Temp. (F.) 90 85 85 120 118 120 296 237 282 120 Pressure 200 150 150      3100 3100 3100 3015 3088 3071 3100 (psia) Ethylene (Mol/Hr) 1.1628 0 0 0      0 0.473 0 0.473 0.4359 0.135 Ethane (Mol/Hr) 5.7938 0.1183 0 0.1183 0      2.357 0 2.357 2.357 0.6994 Propene (Mol/Hr) 1033.12 156.097 1.1289      154.9681 0 420.2806 0.0001 420.2807 271.4831 142.062 Propane (Mol/Hr)      342.6999 334.8164 333.3695 1.4469 0 139.4138 0.0001 139.4139 139.4141      39.9873 C.sub.4.sup.+  (Mol/Hr) 4.0104 1.2964 1.2964 0 0 1.6315 0 1.6315      1.6315 0.4655 C.sub.4.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 5.7376 0.006 0.006 0 0 2.3342 0      2.3342 0.4789 0.666 Water (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 1010.7642 0 543.6744 924.6173      774.7276 0 Acetone (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0002 0 Ethanol (Mol/Hr) 0      0 0 0 0 0 0.0232 0.0307 0.0678 0 IPE (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.7446 0      IPA (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.6868 0.7013 147.7074 0 n-PA (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0      0 0 0.0042 0.0043 0.3506 0 TBA (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0002 0.0002 1.1048      0 SBA (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0004 0.0004 0.8411 0 C.sub.6.sup.-      (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0002 0 C.sub.6 OH (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0      0.0001 0 C.sub.9.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr) 0       0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 1392.5245 492.3341 335.8008 156.5333 1010.7642      566.4901 544.3894 1491.8445 1341.3449 184.0152         S-111 S-112 S-113 S-114 S-115 S-116 S-117 S-118 S-119 S-120  Water to      2nd Stage HC to Water to 3rd 3rd Stage HC to Water to 4th Effluent from      HC to 5th Water to Stream No. 2nd Stage Effluent 3rd Stage Stage      Effluent 4th Stage Stage 4th Stage Stage 5th Stage        Temp. (F.) 118 284.6 120 118 287 120 118 289.2 120 118 Pressure 3100      3057 3100 3100 3057 3100 3100 3043 3100 3100 (psia) Ethylene (Mol/Hr) 0      0.5252 0.1262 0 0.6082 0.1163 0 0.655 0.105 0 Ethane (Mol/Hr) 0 3.0464      0.6456 0 3.692 0.5965 0 4.2885 0.5403 0 Propene (Mol/Hr) 0 270.0031      134.2515 0 265.7082 125.479 0 257.1284 115.4724 0 Propane (Mol/Hr) 0      179.3922 37.3945 0 216.7897 34.4869 0 251.278 31.1662 0 C.sub.4.sup.+      (Mol/Hr) 0 2.097 0.4352 0 2.5322 0.4011 0 2.9333 0.3623 0 C.sub.4.sup.-      (Mol/Hr) 0 0.2665 0.6226 0 0.2131 0.575 0 0.1907 0.5182 0 Water (Mol/Hr)      917.1082 774.6276 0 910.8611 774.6276 0 904.9402 774.6276 0 899.3078      Acetone (Mol/Hr) 0 0.0008 0 0 0.0018 0 0 0.0032 0 0 Ethanol (Mol/Hr) 0      0.1135 0 0 0.1667 0 0 0.2262 0 0 IPE (Mol/Hr) 0 2.503 0 0 5.5227 0 0      10.0172 0 0 IPA (Mol/Hr) 0 287.3557 0 0 419.5183 0 0 544.4914 0 0 n-PA      (Mol/Hr) 0 0.6805 0 0 0.9908 0 0 1.285 0 0 TBA (Mol/Hr) 0 1.4275 0 0      1.7503 0 0 2.0414 0 0 SBA (Mol/Hr) 0 1.3068 0 0 1.66 0 0 1.9653 0 0      C.sub.6.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0 0.0008 0 0 0.002 0 0 0.004 0 0 C.sub.6 OH      (Mol/Hr) 0 0.0004 0 0 0.0011 0 0 0.0025 0 0 C.sub.9.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0 0      0 0 0.0001 0 0 0.0003 0 0 C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0001 0 0      TOTAL 917.1082 1523.347 173.4756 910.8611 1693.7848 161.6548 904.9402      1851.1381 148.1644 899.3078                  S-124b        S-124a   Effluent  S-121 S-122 S-123 S-124      S-122a S-123a Effluent S-122b S-123b from  5th Stage HC to 6th Water to      6th Effluent From HC to 7th Water to 7th from 7th HC to 8th Water to 8th      Stream No. Effluent Stage Stage 6th Stage Stage Stage Stage Stage 8th      Stage Stage        Temp. (F.) 291 120 118 293 120 118 294.6 120 118 296 Pressure 3043      3100 3100 3029 3100 3100 3029 3100 3100 3015 (psia) Ethylene (Mol/Hr)      0.6955 0.0914 0 0.7187 0.0718 0 0.7191 0.0441 0 0.6929 Ethane (Mol/Hr)      4.8288 0.4725 0 5.3013 0.3744 0 5.6757 0.2364 0 5.9121 Propene (Mol/Hr)      242.7106 103.3722 0 220.7832 85.8836 0 192.3078 61.2668 0 156.0042      Propane (Mol/Hr) 282.446 30.1532 0 309.6197 21.3513 0 320.9739 13.1960 0      333.9889 C.sub.4.sup.+  (Mol/Hr) 3.2956 0.3154 0 3.601 0.2474 0 3.8484      0.152 0 4.0104 C.sub.4.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0.1728 0.44518 0 0.1526 0.354 0      0.1244 0.2174 0 0.0847 Water (Mol/Hr) 774.6276 0 892.7347 774.6276 0      880.6703 774.6276 0 863.6449 774.6276 Acetone (Mol/Hr) 0.0051 0 0 0.0075      0 0 0.0104 0 0 0.0138 Ethanol (Mol/Hr) 0.2907 0 0 0.3589 0 0 0.4303 0 0      0.5006 IPE (Mol/Hr) 16.0924 0 0 23.8069 0 0 35.5528 0 0 41.4229 IPA      (Mol/Hr) 661.857 0 0 771.4453 0 0 868.0516 0 0 947.6721 n-PA (Mol/Hr)      1.5617 0 0 1.8198 0 0 2.0474 0 0 2.2349 TBA (Mol/Hr) 2.305 0 0 2.5366 0      0 2.7227 0 0 2.8443 SBA (Mol/Hr) 2.2378 0 0 2.4776 0 0 2.6737 0 0 2.8092      C.sub.6.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0.0072 0 0 0.0118 0 0 0.0169 0 0 0.0256 C.sub.6      OH (Mol/Hr) 0.0049 0 0 0.0008 0 0 0.0148 0 0 0.0227 C.sub.9.sup.-      (Mol/Hr) 0.0006 0 0 0.0011 0 0 0.0018 0 0 0.0027 C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr)      0.0003 0 0 0.0006 0 0 0.001 0 0 0.0015 TOTAL 1993.1396 134.84988      892.7347 2117.279 108.2825 880.6703 2209.8003 75.1283 863.6449 2272.8711          S-126 S-127        Air Cooled 130° F. S-128 S-129 S-130 S-131      S-132  S-125 Light Aqueous Depropanizer 92° F. Aqueous Oxygenate      Deethanizer Overhead Stream No. Light Liquid Liquid Phase Feed Phase      Product Feed Product        Temp. (F.) 296 130 130 92 92 330 86 38 Pressure 3015 2970 2970 2955      2955 190 400 400 (psia) Ethylene (Mol/Hr) 0.6929 0.6929 0 0.6929 0 0      0.6929 0.6929 Ethane (Mol/Hr) 5.9121 5.9121 0 5.9121 0 0 5.9121 5.7938      Propene (Mol/Hr) 156.004 156.0041 0 156.004 0 0.0057 155.9984 0.0014      Propane (Mol/Hr) 333.989 333.9888 0 33.989 0 0.6192 333.3696 0.0001      C.sub.4.sup.+  (Mol/Hr) 4.0104 4.0104 0 4.0104 0 2.1152 1.2964 0      C.sub.4.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0.0847 0.0847 0 0.0847 0 0.0787 0.006 0 Water      (Mol/Hr) 231.053 45.463 185.5902 28.7085 16.7545 13.9 0.0309 0.0021      Acetone (Mol/Hr) 0.0138 0.0138 0 0.0138 0 0.0138 0 0 Ethanol (Mol/Hr)      0.4774 0.4705 0.0069 0.4699 0.0006 0.4699 0 0 IPE (Mol/Hr) 41.4229      41.4229 0 41.4229 0 41.4229 0 0 IPA (Mol/Hr) 946.985 946.9713 0.014      946.971 0.0005 946.9708 0 0 n-PA (Mol/Hr) 2.2307 2.2306 0.001 2.2306 0      2.2306 0 0 TBA (Mol/Hr) 2.8441 2.8441 0 2.8441 0 2.8441 0 0 SBA (Mol/Hr)      2.8088 2.8088 0 2.8088 0 2.8088 0 0 C.sub.6.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0.0256      0.0256 0 0.0256 0 0.0256 0 0 C.sub.6 OH (Mol/Hr) 0.0227 0.0227 0 0.0227      0 0.0227 0 0 C.sub.9.sup.-  (Mol/Hr) 0.0027 0.0027 0 0.0027 0 0.0027 0 0      C.sub.9 OH (Mol/Hr) 0.0015 0.0015 0 0.0015 0 0.0015 0 0 TOTAL 1728.58      1542.9705 185.6121 1526.21 16.7556 1013.5322 497.3063 6.4903

The principle streams of the preferred process as set out in the schematic representations of FIGS. 2A, 2B1, 2B2 and 2C are also keyed to the box score of Table III by numbers within a diamond, as was the case with the example of Table I.

From the box score of Table III it can be seen that in the representative preferred process, a typical refinery fresh cut propene-propane feed which may be introduced into apparatus 410 via line 418 and is identified as stream S-101, may for example be made up of a majority of propene, a lesser proportion of propane, and minor amounts of ethylene, ethane, C₄ saturates, and C₄ unsaturates. That stream, which for instance, may be supplied at a temperature of 90° F. and a pressure of 200 psia is introduced by pump 544 into the reactors 420, 422 and 424, in conjunction with propene derived from C₃ splitter 498.

The operation of apparatus 41 is similar to the operation previously described of apparatus 10 except for the division of the stacked reactor 78 into three separate reactor vessels 420, 422 and 424. The introduction of refinery fresh cut propene-propane feed directly into the reactors without first separating propene from propane in a C₃ splitter as carried in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, requires operation of the reactors at different pressures and temperatures of the first embodiment of the invention described herein.

As indicated in FIGS. 2B1 and 2B2, the reactor section 414 is operated at conditions such that the temperature of the fluidized bed in first reactor stage section 426 is maintained at about 282° F. under a pressure of 3070 psia, the fluidized bed in the second reactor stage section 428 is controlled so that the temperature thereof is about 284.6° F. under a pressure of 3057 psia, the fluidized of the bed of the third stage reactor section is maintained at a temperature of about 287° F. under a pressure of 3057 psia, the fluidized bed of the fourth stage reactor section 440 is controlled to provide a temperature of about 289.2° F. under a pressure of 3044 psia, the fluidized bed in a fifth stage reactor section 442 is maintained at a temperature of about 291.2° F. under a pressure of 3031 psia, the fluidized bed in the sixth stage reactor section 462 is controlled to provide a temperature of about 293° F. under a pressure of 3041 psia, the fluidized bed in the seventh reactor section 464 is maintained at a temperature of about 294.6° F. under a pressure of 3028 psia, and the fluidized bed in the eighth stage reactor section 466 is maintained at a temperature of 296° F. under a pressure of 3015 psia.

It is to be understood in this connection that the specific pressures and temperatures of the exemplary process of the preferred embodiment of this invention are for illustration purposes only and are based on the infeed of a refinery fresh cut propene-propane feed stock of the composition set out in Table III under the column heading S-101. Variation of the composition of the feed stock may require a corresponding change in the temperature and pressure parameters of the process, and particularly of the individual reactor stages.

The parameters of the individual streams of the exemplary process set out in Table III record preferred temperature and pressure conditions, as well as flow rates, and stream compositions at the points in the process flow sheet indicated by the individual diamonds. As is apparent from the schematic diagram and the data of Table III, the increase in temperature between proximal, serially connected catalytic stages starting with first stage section 426 and progressing serially through the eighth stage section 466, is limited to a value within a range from about 2.6° F. to about 1.4° F. That difference should be maintained at a level from about 1° F. to about 8° F.

The molar ratio of water to propene delivered to each of the catalytic stages 426, 428, 438, 440, 442, 462, 464 and 466 is desirably maintained in from about the range 2:1 to about 6:1 and preferably from about 2:1 to about 3:1. The molar ratio of water to propene entering the first stage 426 is controlled most preferably from about 2:1:1 to about 2.5:1. In the preferred exemplary process, the water to propene molar ratios may be expressed as set forth in Table IV hereunder:

                                      TABLE IV                                     __________________________________________________________________________                                             STAGE.sup.1                                               STAGE                WATER/PROPENE                               TOTAL PROPENE, M/H                                                                           PROPENE  TOTAL WATER, M/H                                                                           MOLAR RATIO                            STAGE                                                                               IN     OUT    CONVERSION                                                                              IN    OUT   IN    OUT                              __________________________________________________________________________     1    420.2806                                                                              271.4380                                                                              .35415   924.6173                                                                             774.6276                                                                             2.2000                                                                               2.8538                           2    413.5000                                                                              270.0030                                                                              .34703   917.1082                                                                             774.6276                                                                             2.2189                                                                               2.8690                           3    404.2545                                                                              265.7081                                                                              .34272   910.8611                                                                             774.6276                                                                             2.2532                                                                               2.9153                           4    391.1871                                                                              257.1283                                                                              .34270   904.9402                                                                             774.6276                                                                             2.3133                                                                               3.0126                           5    372.6007                                                                              242.7105                                                                              .34860   899.3078                                                                             774.6275                                                                             2.4136                                                                               3.1916                           6    346.0827                                                                              220.7831                                                                              .36205   892.7347                                                                             774.6276                                                                             2.5795                                                                               3.5085                           7    306.6667                                                                              192.3077                                                                              .37291   880.6703                                                                             774.6276                                                                             2.8718                                                                               4.0284                           8    253.5945                                                                              156.0041                                                                              .38483   863.6449                                                                             774.6276                                                                             3.4056                                                                               4.9654                           __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.1 Although the water circulated is comparatively low, higher water t      propene molar ratios occur in successive stages so that excellent              hydration reaction rates of propene are obtained.                        

It can be seen from the foregoing description that the fresh cut propene-propane feed stock is the sole hydrocarbon material introduced into the first reactor section 426, along with from about 2.1 to about 2.5 moles of water for each mole of feed stock. In addition, the remaining portion of the fresh hydrocarbon feed stock is fed in a distributed manner to the remainder of the reactor stage sections 428, 438, 440, 442, 462, 464 and 466 respectively, along with purified recovered propene product supplied via line 546 which contains at least about 80 mol percent of propene. Adequate water is supplied to each of the reactor stage sections 428, 438, 440, 442, 462, 464 and 466 to at least supply the amount of water consumed in the chemical reaction taking place in the fluidized bed reactors.

It is advantageous in the present invention to introduce the water injected interstage (preferably approximately the same as that chemically consumed in the succeeding stage) below the distributor of the succeeding stage. Hydrodynamically, having the injected water injected before the distributor provides a greater flow for the continuous phase which supports the catalyst particles. Simultaneously, the continuous water phase entering through the distributor has a lower isopropyl alcohol concentration due to the colder entering temperature. Injected water entering is colder because colder injected water is one of the principal cooling agents serving to control the outlet temperature of the succeeding bed and remove the heat of reaction. The mixing achieved by the distributor provides a kinetic aid by virtue of the fact that isopropyl alcohol at a lower concentration and which is present in the water phase immediately contacts catalyst particles in the succeeding stage. Mixing with colder water provides a more uniformly controlled catalyst particle temperature for the catalyst particles immediately contacted.

In contrast, the colder hydrocarbon phase injected has a significantly higher molar concentration of propene than that contained in the resulting organic phase entering from the previous stage. A colder hydrocarbon phase is therefore injected above the distributor. Colder hydrocarbon bubbles rise simultaneously with the previous stage organic phase bubbles leaving the distributor. In doing so, the total dispersed area of the organic phase is increased, which aids mass transfer to the catalyst particles in the particular stage injected. A greater benefit is obtained by increased propene partial pressure driving force afforded by the injected hydrocarbon. The desired hydration either to isopropanol or diisopropyl ether occurs when the injected hydrocarbon bubbles come into periodic contact with the catalyst particles suspended in the continuous water phase.

For all stages other than the initial stage, the injection of water below the distributor and injection of olefin feed immediately above the distributor therefore improves the desired hydration reactions in a given stage. This is of especial importance because of the significant propane content of the organic phase exiting the initial stage. Preferably only fresh propene-propane feed enters the initial reactor stage as the hydrocarbon feed.

Higher temperatures are permitted in the initial stage and successive stages of the present process, and particularly the embodiment of FIGS. 2A, 2B1, 2B2 and 2C, without excessive polymer formation because propane entering also acts to separate the individual propene atoms to an extent that only the desired hydration reactions primarily occur. This is particularly true because the individual catalyst particles are inherently wetted by virtue of being suspended in an upflowing continuous phase. Polymer formation occurs whenever water is absent from the catalyst particles being contacted by the olefin entering phase. Such contact may be minimized but not prohibited, in spite of the larger molar ratios of water to propene, in conventional downflow multibed reactor such as employed in the Deutsche Texaco process.

Overall water to propene molar ratio is a fraction of that employed in present commercial processes. Conventional processes have overall molar ratios of 12:1 to 15:1 water to propene as compared with an exemplary ratio of only 1.56 in the case of the process parameters of Table I, and 1.62 in the instance of the process parameters of Table III. Unlike the DT process, using a catalyst of the general type employed in the present exemplary process, only the less dense phase from the reactor is further cooled and then subjected to separation in order to segregate the oxygenates from unreacted hydrocarbons. As a consequence, the present process involves a significantly smaller volume of liquid subject to separation procedures to effect recovery of a like amount of oxygenate end product.

Reducing the water recycle rate to a fraction of that employed in prior processes, should cause the catalyst consumption per unit of oxygenated fuel additive produced to be less than 1/3 that required in the Deutsche Texaco process. Loss of sulfonic acid group from the ion exchange catalyst by hydrolysis to the circulating liquid water phase out has been reported to be the primary mechanism of deactivation of the sulfonated catalyst for the DT process. Circulating significantly less water recycle in the present process, coupled with greater assurance of water at the catalyst particle surface and lower maximum catalyst particle temperatures reduces potential hydrolysis activity loss as well as polymer formation. For an acidic, sulfonic resin catalyst, recycling of weak sulfuric acid back to the first stage feed acts to restore any catalyst activity apart from decreasing the loss of sulfonic acid sites by hydrolysis through mass transfer action.

Operation of the initial catalytic stages 80-84, or 426 and 428 in the present process at lower than conventional bed temperatures after mid-run as in prior propene hydration processes, has been found advantageous because propene conversion to oligomes is restricted to a greater extent than heretofore has been the case, even though the concentration of propene is greatest in the initial stage and there is a significant amount of dilution products present in the less dense phase. In addition, the rate of oligomer formation is significantly decreased. An overall slight increase in catalyst inventory requirements for producing a give oxygenate product in accordance with the present invention, is more than off-set by the higher overall propene conversion percentages realized by practice of the present process.

Better limitation of maximum catalyst particle temperatures, no more than about 300° F. in the instance of the process reflected by Table I, and no more than about 320° F. with respect to the process reflected by Table III, restricts the formation of unwanted oligomers as a result of propene reactant combining with itself or other olefins present. Operation at lower catalyst bed temperatures decreases the desulfonation rate of the ion exchange sulfonic acid catalyst. Limiting oligomer formation decreases the deactivation rate of the catalyst. Significantly higher polymer formation can occur when higher particle temperatures than above are encountered. This is avoided in the present process.

The use of fluidized catalytic stages in reactor 78, or reactors 420, 422 and 44 with constant circulation of reactants in each stage makes temperature control in each stage easier to monitor and implement and thereby contributes to an extension of catalyst life.

Although introduction of typical refinery fresh cut propene-propane feed stock directly into the catalytic hydration stages without initial concentration of the propene results in somewhat higher operating costs for the reactor stages by virtue of the higher pressures and somewhat higher temperatures required for efficient conversion of the hydrocarbon stock to isopropyl alcohol and diisopropyl ether, those higher costs are more than offset by the reduction in the capital investment required for the propane/propene splitter. This reduced capital cost is attributable to the decreased size of the propane/propene splitter by virtue of the fact that the splitter is required to separate overhead only the unconverted recovered propene present in the reactor effluent.

It is practical in this way to limit the C₃ splitter overhead to separating a propene recycle feed which, mol wise, is equivalent approximately 15% of the propene entering the reactor for a typical refinery fresh propene-propane feed. Furthermore, comparatively low feed pumping energy is required for the reactor section of the apparatus, particularly in the case of makeup water. As a consequence, even though a lower ratio of propene to propane feed stock is introduced into the reactors, the pumping energy required for a higher pressure reaction is more than offset by the reduction in C₃ splitter compressor heat pump energy requirements.

Introduction of C₄ feed components in a typical refinery propene-propane feed directly into the reactor increases the oxygenate product make from a given propene-propane feed. Most of the isobutene entering the reactor is simultaneously hydrated into tertiary butyl alcohol. Most of the other C₄ olefins entering in the fresh propene-propane feed are also simultaneously hydrated into secondary butyl alcohol. These C₄ alcohols are easily separated with the oxygenate product from the C₃ components that leave the reactor in the depropanizer. The C₄ alcohols have desirable octane characteristics (R+M/2=approximately 100) in addition to containing oxygen. Further, more than half of the isobutane and nearly all of the normal butane that are part of the refinery propene-propane feed are economically retained in the oxygenate product. Thus, a significant portion of the C₄ 's entering in the fresh propene-propane feed become part of the refinery gasoline pool instead of becoming a portion of a less valuable propane byproduct.

The decreased quantity of C₄ 's that proceed overhead from the depropanizer for propene recovery are beneficial in the preferred embodiment of the invention because the propane byproduct (bottoms) from the C₃ splitter has a closer boiling point to the splitter overhead which is compressed as a reboiling medium. Propane byproduct from the C₃ splitter has a reduced olefin (propene) content that easily meets the HD-5 LPG product grade specifications. HD-5 is the specification of propane for uses in automotive fuel. This propene LPG grade must contain at least 90% by volume of propane with not more than 5% by liquid volume of propene. As the propane byproduct typically has more than 99% by liquid volume of propane with less than 0.4 liquid volume of propene, a refinery is afforded flexibility in producing this propane product grade which is usually marketed.

Furthermore, because of the more limited C₄ impurities, the propane product may also be sold for a superior refrigerant grade propane product.

Having a higher concentration of propane in the organic phase leaving the reactor economically permits less propene in the propane byproduct. This is accomplished by virtue of the reduced quantity of propene required to be separated by the C₃ splitter (approximately 1/6 of that separated in the embodiment exemplified by the process of Table I hereof). Propene in the propane byproduct typically corresponds to less than 0.5% of the propane which enters in the fresh propene-propane feed. This is economical because more than 0.86 fraction of the total propene that enters the reactor normally would be dehydrated either to isopropanol, or diisopropyl ether. Propene conversion in accordance with the preferred process of this invention using typical refinery propene-propane feed is higher than the highest recovery heretofore reported (0.75 fraction of total propene entering, even though the propene contents of the reactor propene-propane feed employed for conventional processes consists of high purity propene as in the case of the process exemplified by Table I hereof).

Incremental propane introduced into the reactor by the fresh refinery propene-propane feed acts to ensure a better light liquid (organic phase)-heavier liquid (aqueous phase) distribution in the reactor. Based upon equilibria calculations, less isopropyl alcohol is dissolved in the upflowing aqueous phase in the reactor. Less water is dissolved in the upflowing phase droplets due to propane contributed by the fresh feed more effectively rejecting the water from the organic phase. Kinetically, this not only increases the rate but the selectivity as well for the desired hydration of propene introduced into the reactor, either to isopropyl alcohol, or to diisopropyl ether. 

I claim:
 1. In a process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels and which contains isopropanol, diisopropyl ether and water, and wherein a hydrocarbon feed stock containing propane and propene is subjected to catalytic hydration under elevated pressure and temperature in a series of catalytic stages arranged in serial flow relationship with water being introduced into each catalytic stage in an amount to selectively control the catalytic conversion of propane and propene to isopropanol alcohol and diisopropyl respectively, and the isopropanol, diisopropyl ether and water leaving the catalytic stages is separated from unreacted feed stock, the improved steps of:directing a fresh propene-propane hydrocarbon feed stock containing at least about 50% of propene and a proportion of propane, to the series of catalytic stages; maintaining the molar ratio of water to propene delivered to each of the catalytic stages within the range of from about 2.1 to about 4.1; and and controlling the temperature of the reaction in respective catalytic stages to maintain the temperature in each stage at a level within the range from about 260° F. to about 320° F., and the pressure in each stage at a level of from about 1800 psia to 3600 psia.
 2. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the step of deriving the fresh hydrocarbon feed stock from an external olefin source, directing a portion of said fresh hydrocarbon feed stock to the first one of said serially connected catalytic stages, providing a supply of a purified recovered propene product containing at least about 80 mol percent of propene, and directing purified recovered propene product along with a proportion of said fresh hydrocarbon feed stock to each of the remaining catalytic stages.
 3. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the steps of providing a series of at least six of said catalytic stages arranged in serial flow relationship, feeding from about 35% to about 45% of the available supply of fresh propene-propane hydrocarbon feed stock, into the first stage of the series thereof along with from about 2.1 to about 2.5 moles of water for each mole of hydrocarbon feed introduced into the first stage, feeding the remainder of the fresh propene-propane feed stock together with recovered purified propene feed, into the remainder of the reaction stages along with a quantity of water sufficient to supply the amount thereof chemically consumed in a given stage, and controlling the outlet stage pressures to a level within the range of from about 1800 psia to about 3600 psia and to maintain the outlet temperatures at a level within the range of from about 285° F. to about 310° F.
 4. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the steps of providing distributors between each of the adjacent catalytic stages and directing the colder interstage water for a given succeeding stage below the distributor for the given stage, and the colder hydrocarbon for a given stage immediately above the distributor of the given succeeding stage.
 5. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein said feed stock is a refinery fresh cut fraction containing from about 60 to about 86 mol percent of propene.
 6. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim i, wherein is included the step of maintaining the ratio of propene to propane in the feed stock to a value within the range of about 72 to 78 mol percent.
 7. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the step of maintaining the ration of propene to propane in the feed stock to a value of approximately of 74 mol percent.
 8. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of directing refinery fresh cut propane feed stock to the catalytic hydration stages includes directing a feed stock containing a minor proportion of C₄ ⁺ hydrocarbons in addition to said propane and propene proportions thereof, to the catalytic stages, and retaining the hydration products resulting from catalytic hydration of the C₄ ⁺ hydrocarbons in the catalytic stages, in the isopropanol, 10 diisopropyl ether, and water separated from the feed stock, for use as a motor fuel oxygenate additive.
 9. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the step of separating unconverted propene from propane from the unconverted feed stock leaving the catalytic stages, and returning the recovered propene to the catalytic stages.
 10. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the step of providing a propane/propene splitter, directing the unconverted feed stock from the catalytic stages to the splitter to separate propane from propene, and returning the recovered propane to the catalytic stages, and operating the catalytic stages under temperature, pressure and water delivery conditions to maintain the amount of propene in the unconverted feed stock leaving the catalytic stages to a level of no more than about 15% of the propene in the fresh cut feed stock directed to the catalytic stages.
 11. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the step of hydrating the feed stock in the catalytic stages in the presence of an acidic catalyst.
 12. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 8, wherein is included the step of hydrating the feed stock in the catalytic stages in the presence of a solid particulate acidic catalyst capable of hydrating olefins and selected from the group consisting of strongly acidic ion exchange resins, fluorosulfonic acid impregnated resins, zeolites, phosphoric acid impregnated pillared clays, and tungstate compounds on porous supports.
 13. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 9, wherein the catalyst is a particulate composition wherein the size of the catalyst particles is within the range of 20 to 100 mesh.
 14. A process of preparing an oxygenate additive for motor fuels as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the steps of providing a series of catalytic stages, and controlling the temperatures and pressures of the stages such that the initial stage is maintained at a pressure of about 3070 psia and a temperature of about 282° F., and the pressure of the final stage is about 3015 psia and the temperature thereof at about 296° F. 